


Fallen Angels

by EnglishPoet18



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 21:23:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 95,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3148973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnglishPoet18/pseuds/EnglishPoet18





	1. Chapter 1

**...**

The beat up truck coasted to the side of the road and Daryl wanted to kick it in frustration. He was so sick of Merle driving all of the gas out of the truck and not putting anything back in. Sometimes he felt like he was the oldest at the age of thirty instead of Merle who was thirty-six. Daryl scrounged around in the seats, hoping he would run across some money. He came up empty like he figured and slammed his hand against the steering wheel in frustration.

"Goddamn it Merle!" He yelled to the empty truck.

He flung the door open and climbed out. He was about ten miles from the nearest gas station and even farther than that from their house. This would be his luck on today of all days. He was supposed to start a roofing job this morning he had landed through the temp agency in town. Either way he looked at it, he was shit out of luck. He kicked the front bumper of the truck and it came loose and dangled close to the ground. He sighed and chewed on his thumb as he considered his options. He could attempt to walk to the job, which would take him probably an hour or better, or he could try the gas station and see if one of his buddies could pick him up. They were both in opposite directions so he wasn't sure what to do.

He decided to just walk to the job site. If they fired him, then maybe one of the men would have a phone he could use. He really couldn't afford to lose this job. They were already scraping by as it was and the good thing about temp jobs were that they paid daily so he didn't have to wait a week or two for a check. Merle wasn't much help financially either. The odd jobs he managed to pick up never lasted long. Merle would fuck it up and go to work drunk or high on whatever he had managed to get his hands on the night before. That was how it always worked. Anytime Merle had a little bit of money in his pocket, he itched to spend it on something that would further screw up his life. Daryl kicked at rocks as he walked.

The few times he had managed to get any money from Merle hadn't been much at all. Yet Merle would still manage to find something to get into even if he was broke. This is the life that he was stuck in. Always taking care of his brother, worrying if he was going to get locked up or take the drug that would kill him. They had been on their own for most of their life though so in a way, Daryl was used to it. Both of their parents had been dead for about six years. Not that they would have been much help. Their mom had slept around and their dad had been a bigger junkie than Merle. The way Daryl saw it, they were much better off without them anyway.

It was hot out and he began to sweat as he walked. At the rate he was going, he might pass out from dehydration before he ever made it anywhere. A couple of cars passed him but no one offered to pick him up. He knew no one would. The Dixon name had earned itself quite the reputation around there. Sometimes it was a good thing and times like this it wasn't so good.

A Honda Civic drove past him and then tapped the brakes. He watched as the driver put the vehicle in reverse and backed up down the road. Daryl glanced behind him but saw no other vehicles out. The car rolled to a stop next to him and the window slid down. Daryl was sure the person must be lost and he wiped his forehead and peered in through the window. A woman looked back at him through dark sunglasses. His eyes scanned the car but she was alone.

"Do you need a ride?" She asked softly.

Daryl thought about that for a minute. "You sure about that? You don't even know me." 

She smiled for a second and then it was gone. "You're one of the Dixon brothers, right?"

Daryl groaned. "All the more reason for you to keep goin'. Wouldn't want to ruin your reputation ma'am."

The woman snorted and then glanced around nervously. "I don't mind. It's a long hike back to town in this heat."

Daryl thought about it for a minute. He really did need to get to work. He nodded and opened the door. "Well if you're sure, I'd sure appreciate it. I'm not goin' back to town though. I gotta be at work at Countryside Estates in about fifteen minutes."

The woman nodded and glancing once into the rearview mirror, she put the car in drive and pulled out. She was silent and he noticed she sat kind of rigid as she drove. He studied her as she shifted gears. Her hair was shoulder length and a reddish brown color. She was very slender and he figured some good country food would fill her out real nicely. His eyes traveled to her hands and he noticed the ring on her left hand. _Too bad._ He also noticed that her hands were clenching the steering wheel so tight he thought she might pull the whole steering column out.

"You alright over there?" 

She jumped as if she had forgotten he was even there. He eyed her curiously. She sure was skittish.

"I'm fine," she replied. He watched her swallow and he figured he must be making her nervous. _So why the hell had she picked him up then?_

He scratched his head. "Listen, I appreciate the ride. I can see I'm making you nervous though so if you wanna pull over, I can walk the rest of the way."

Her hands slowly loosened on the steering wheel. "It's fine. It's just been a bad day is all." 

He nodded in agreement. "I've had my share of those."

She smiled slightly and he thought she looked real pretty relaxed. "I'm sure you have."

"What's your name?" 

She glanced at him from behind her sunglasses. "Carol," she said softly.

He almost had to lean into her lap to hear her, she was so soft spoken. He wasn't used to those types of women. The women Merle brought home were all loud and usually high. They weren't the type you took out to dinner. They were only interested in fucking and that's exactly what Merle used them for. Daryl learned quick to sleep with pants on because apparently some of the women thought he was fair game. He remembered the time he had woken up to one of Merle's lays stroking him through his boxer shorts. She had even went so far as to reach in and grab him before he had jumped up. He hadn't ever had a woman touch him there before. Merle had laughed about it the next morning, calling Daryl a pussy and telling him he was crazy for turning down good pussy.

Daryl didn't know what was so good about it. Those women had probably spread there legs all over town and who knew how many diseases they carried? He shook his head as Carol slowed to make the turn into the fancy new subdivision. She stopped at the gate up front and he leaned over to tell them he was there for a roofing job. The man disappeared back into his hut for a moment and Daryl became aware of how good Carol smelled. He also noticed that she had shrunk so far back into her seat when he had leaned over that she was almost in the back seat.

"I'm not gonna bite you...unless you want me to," he added and then cursed himself. _This woman was married!_

She didn't reply and the guard walked back over to the car. He handed Daryl a pass for the day that he had to keep on him at all times for security reasons. The guard directed Carol down the road and told her she would see the crew at the last house on the right. She thanked him and drove off. Daryl settled back into his seat. He wondered what her story was.

"You never told me which one you are," she said suddenly.

Daryl looked at her in confusion. "Which _one_?"

"Which Dixon brother."

"Daryl," he said. She pulled up to where he could see the crew just preparing to get started on the house. "Well thanks for the ride." 

"You're welcome, Daryl."  He liked the way she said his name.

He opened the door to step out and then looked back over to her. "I really do appreciate this Carol. Don't know how I would have gotten to work without you."

He saw her cheeks redden slightly. "It's no problem, really."

He gave her one last long look and stepped out of the car. He shut the door and held up his hand in a wave. She didn't wave back and she backed the car out of the drive and drove back down the way they had come. He watched her go for a moment and then walked over to the construction site.

It was going to be a long day.

….

Carol's eyes kept flickering up to her rearview mirror at Daryl as she drove away. He stood there until she couldn't see him anymore. She knew it had been risky to pick him up but she just couldn't have let him walk out in this heat in the middle of nowhere. If she hadn't heard about the two brothers, she would never have picked him up. She knew their reputation but she had seen Daryl around town before and he always seemed polite, despite how people painted him. She hadn't known which brother was which and she had once been dumb enough to ask Ed. She had quickly learned her mistake as he had backhanded her across the face. She had stayed in the house a week trying to hide that bruise. She had never got her answer until now, and she had never asked again until now.

She figured chances were good that Ed wouldn't find out she had picked up Daryl since Ed hated the Dixons with a passion. She wasn't sure why he hated them and she had always been too afraid to question him. Ed didn't like to be questioned.

She sighed and finally lifted her sunglasses from her face. Her black eye shone back at her in her rearview mirror and she tried to avoid looking at her reflection. She had made the mistake of forgetting to add the sugar to his coffee this morning before he left for work. She had been sleepy and she had thought she had added it but apparently she hadn't. The only time she was ever able to get away was when Ed was at work since they didn't have cell phones for him to check up on her.

She tried not to think too much about how Daryl had looked at her. All it did was remind her once again that she needed to get away from Ed. She was scared though. She was terrified that if she tried to leave that he would find her. He always threatened that he would. The first time he had ever laid a hand on her she had forgiven him. The second time the neighbors had called the cops. The Sheriff himself had come to their house and questioned Ed. Of course Ed had denied it and she had been so scared that she had tried to cover for him. Sheriff Grimes had asked to speak with her outside while Ed stayed in the house. He had been so kind to her and she would never forget that. She hadn't wanted Ed thrown in jail though and she had brushed it off that it was just a simple marital spat. The sheriff's hands had been tied since she didn't want to press charges but he had still left his personal cell number in case she changed her mind. Ed didn't know she had it and she carried it with her wherever she went.

She knew that by now everyone knew that Ed beat her. It shamed her because they also knew she tried to hide it. She could feel people's pity and it made her mad that her life had come to this. Three years with Ed and she had _this_ to show for it? If she ever did find the courage to leave Ed, what would she do? She was already thirty, and she knew next to nothing about dating. Not that she thought anyone would find her attractive. Inadvertently, her thoughts drifted to Daryl Dixon and she wondered what it would be like to be with someone like him. She smirked at herself and shook her head.

_Herself with a Dixon? Like that would ever work._

_.............._


	2. Chapter 2

**...**

Merle woke up with a pounding head and a naked blonde wrapped around him. He had no idea who the hell she was but she was snoring softly. Merle eased out from under her and stood up to grab his pants. He slipped them on and went in search of something for his headache. He found some Tylenol in the bathroom cabinet and he swallowed two then went to the kitchen. His stomach growled but when he opened the fridge it was empty as usual.

"Fuckin' figures," he muttered.

He slammed the fridge door and walked over to the cabinets to pull out the can of coffee. He poured some coffee grounds into the coffee maker and pressed power just as the blonde walked into the kitchen. He noticed she was wearing one of his shirts and nothing else. She didn't look too bad. Her hair was a wreck but she had a nice figure for which he was thankful. He had brought home some real lookers in his drunken state before. Those were awkward to get rid of, but Merle never had minded hurting anyone's feelings. He leaned against the counter as he tried to recall her name.

She sauntered over to him and rubbed herself against him. Merle looked down at her unfazed. He didn't do cuddles, morning after sex, or relationships. Apparently she hadn't gotten the memo.

"Might wanna call that cab sugar," he drawled.

She stopped rubbing and purring against him and gave him a sour look which was quickly replaced by a sultry smile as she decided to try again. "I thought we might have one last go," she whispered into his ear.

Merle grinned. "No offense darlin' but one's my limit. Merle don't do repeat performances." He chuckled.

The woman glared at him with her hands on her hips. He watched her tits heave as she decided how best to handle the situation. She had big tits and Merle was momentarily distracted by them. He was sure he had had fun with those last night. He just wished he could remember how _much_ fun. He almost regretted his rule about not having sex the morning after, but women liked to cuddle when they weren't drunk and Merle wasn't up for that shit. Then she poked her finger in his chest and the spell was broken.

"You're an asshole Marvin!" 

 _Marvin?_ "Who the fuck is Marvin?"

She looked momentarily flustered and then she glanced at his face. "Your name _is_ Marvin, right?"

"I'll be whatever ya want me to be sugar tits, but I ain't no fuckin' Marvin," he replied with an amused grin.

"Well whatever!" She huffed off into the bedroom and he heard her moving stuff around. A few minutes later she stalked back into the room dressed back into her clothes from the previous night.

Merle poured himself a cup of coffee and searched for sugar but found none. Shrugging, he brought the cup to his lips and drank it black. It didn't make a difference to him. Coffee was coffee. He regarded her over the rim of the cup.

"I need to use your phone to call a cab," she said huffily.

"Ain't got one. Payphone's around the corner." He smirked. He loved it when they got all fired up. It was great entertainment for him and he enjoyed every minute of it.

"Fuck you!" She yelled as she walked to the door. She gave him one last glare and walked out of the door. He shook his head and smirked as he realized he still hadn't got the damn woman's name.

He finished his coffee and went to grab a clean shirt. He figured he might as well find a way to make some money and help out. He knew Daryl had started a job today and their rent was past due already so he needed to find something to keep his brother from bitching at him. The ramshackle house they lived in really wasn't worth the amount they paid for it but it was the cheapest that they could find with a yard. Merle needed a yard to work on cars. He was quite handy with a wrench, but lately he hadn't had anybody bringing anything by and he figured that was because he had been too busy partying. It was time to play the responsible brother for a bit so he could get off of Daryl's shit list. His brother sure could be a buzzkill sometimes. He sighed and splashed some water on his face before grabbing a cap and some sunshades.

He stepped out and grimaced from the glare of the sun. His head hurt like a bitch. He walked down the street towards the mechanic shop on the corner. Sometimes if the owner Hank had extra work, he would let him work a couple of days under the table to help them catch back up. There were two things in this life that Merle Dixon was good at: women and cars. He had grown up under the hood of a car and he could build it from the ground up if he had too. Daryl was handy with a car but he was lots better with motorcycles. Nobody was better on a bike than his brother. It made his chest swell with pride a little as he thought about it.

Nobody knew sex better than Merle Dixon. He wasn't one for relationships, but he was a rock star in the sack. He grinned cockily to himself. The Dixons were known for their bad boy reputation but they were also sexy as hell. He and his brother could turn the heads of many women. Except his brother, for all his charm, was still a virgin. Merle couldn't figure that shit out. He tried to get women for his brother but he kept turning them down. Merle shook his head.

_Fuckin' pussy is what he was. No damn Dixon should be thirty and still a virgin. It wasn't right._

"Hank! What's good man?" Merle called as he walked up.

Hank shot him the bird and Merle grinned. "Merle! Where ya been you fucker?"

Merle grinned at Hank's choice of words. Hank was about the only other person Merle got along with besides Daryl. Hank didn't take anyone's shit either and Merle respected that.

"I been around. Ya know how it is." Merle smirked and Hank flashed him a grin.

He swiped a soda from the cooler that Hank kept around for the mechanics and popped the top. The cold soda felt good going down his throat and he quickly downed the can while his eyes roamed over the parking lot. They seemed to have a decent bit of cars but not enough that Hank would probably get him to stay for the day. He shrugged and figured he would hang out a bit and shoot the shit. At least he could attempt to look productive in case Daryl asked around.

"Excuse me sir. Do you work here?" A soft voice asked from behind him.

He turned around startled. A petite little blonde stood there gaping up at him nervously with the biggest blue eyes he had ever seen.

"I work here 'bout as much as anyone else does sugar. What's the problem?" He flashed his most charming smile.

She looked around nervously and then pointed back to a small blue Toyota sitting at the edge of the lot. "My car's running hot. It was starting to smoke so I pulled over," she explained worriedly.

He studied her silently. She was a small wisp of a girl but she had an elegance about her that Merle wasn't used to seeing. She didn't appear stuck up like most beautiful women usually did. She looked almost frightened and he wondered if she had heard things about him. He didn't know her, but his reputation had a way of spreading itself around. He worked hard on that reputation to get it to where it was today, but now he kind of wished he didn't have it from the look in her eyes.

"I can see you're busy. Maybe I should ask someone else?" She turned and he grabbed her arm swiftly. She gasped and he immediately let go.

"Might be a while darlin'. Why don't ya let me just take a look see?" He said as he strode over to her car.

He opened the door without waiting for any confirmation from her and popped the hood. He could smell where the car had indeed ran hot and he grabbed a rag from his back pocket to unscrew the radiator cap. She stood to the side watching him with fascinated eyes. He took off the cap carefully and then climbed underneath the car to look around. A drop of water hit him in the face and he whistled low from under the car.

"Looks like ya got a leak in your radiator there darlin'. When's the last time ya checked your coolant?" He called from underneath the car.

"Coolant?" She asked. She peered at him from over the top of the engine.

He rolled his eyes, "Ya know, the stuff that keeps ya car from doin' this?" 

She scrunched her face up as she thought about it. "I've never checked it. Daddy usually does all that for me, but he hasn't been feeling well lately."

"Son of a bitch!" Merle cursed and she jumped. "How in the hell ya goin' to drive a car and not know nothin' about it?" He crawled out from under the car and stood in front of her, wiping his hands on his rag. It irritated him at the amount of people that drove cars without doing maintenance on them. Cars didn't run forever. They needed check-ups, just like people needed physicals.

She cringed, walking backwards away from him and he cursed himself for scaring her. She had to be no more than sixteen or so from the looks of her. "Listen girlie, I ain't meant to scare you any. Drivin' a car requires more than just puttin' gas in it. There's maintenance that needs to be performed and every female should know how to do it." 

"Can you fix it?" She asked.

"I'm sure they can fix it for ya." He pointed back towards the shop where the men were working.

"Do you think it's expensive? I don't have a lot of money," she mumbled and her face blushed a bright red.

Merle looked down in to her worried face and sighed. He looked around for Hank to make sure he wasn't around before speaking. He could get in trouble with him for taking business off the lot. Hank was a pretty good guy, but his prices were a little high in Merle's opinion.

"I can fix it for ya real cheap but ya gotta get it to my place," he said.

"How? I can't drive it." 

"I can put ya some water in the radiator to get ya down the street. My house is a block that away." He tilted his head down the street.

She chewed on her lip as she glanced around. His eyes focused in on her lip and he realized he wanted to nibble on it too. He wiped his forehead and cursed at himself for where his thoughts were going. This was a young girl and probably not even legal. He had already had enough run-ins with the law as it was. He didn't need to add another to the list.

"Maybe you should ask your pops before ya bring it over," he offered.

She turned those eyes back on him again. "I can't. He's in surgery and my sister is at work. I don't even have a cell." 

Merle arched a brow. "Your pops is in surgery? Shouldn't ya be there?" He asked.

She laughed. " _He's_ not in surgery. He's _performing_ a surgery. He's a veterinarian."

Merle felt himself smile a bit. "Oh. Well I guess we ain't got much choice then do we,-" He paused and glanced down at her. "What's your name darlin'?"

"Beth," she replied. "What's yours?"

"Ya mean ya don't know me?" He laughed. "Name's Merle Dixon." He waited for a reaction and sure enough it came a few minutes later.

"Dixon?" She whispered as her eyes grew huge.

"In the flesh sweetheart. Now let's see what we can do about this car, shall we?" He winked.

..........


	3. Chapter 3

**...**

Daryl caught a ride home with one of the guys on the crew named Tyreese. He was a quiet man, which was just fine for Daryl because after being on that roof all day, the last thing he felt like doing was talking. He directed Tyreese to his house and surprisingly found out that Tyreese only stayed a couple of blocks away from him.

"You need a ride tomorrow, man?" Tyreese asked as they pulled up in front of Daryl's place.

Daryl thought about it. He didn't like to owe people anything. He had money in his pocket now so he could probably call a buddy and get a ride to get some gas for the truck. _If_ he could find Merle that is.

"I think I'll be alright. Just gotta get some gas in the ole' truck is all," Daryl replied.

Tyreese nodded. "Alright man, you change your mind I'm two streets over. Third house on the left."

"Alright. Thanks, I appreciate it." Daryl gave him a wave and climbed out of the truck wearily. He was dirty and his clothes were drenched in sweat. He wanted nothing more than a nice, long, hot shower.

Unfortunately, that didn't seem like it would happen, at least, not right away. As he rounded the house, he heard music playing from the garage out back and voices carried over to him. He paused and turned on his heel to head towards the garage. The garage was actually an old barn that had seen better days. It was big enough to pull a car into though, and Merle had converted it into his own man cave. Anytime he wasn't out drinking, he was out tinkering with something in that barn.

As Daryl approached, he saw that there was a car pulled inside and he could see Merle's legs sticking out from underneath the front. Daryl wanted to hope that Merle was finally taking on some customers again in an effort to make some money but then he saw the blonde girl standing by the hood and he frowned. It appeared that Merle was only interested in getting some. The girl must have heard him approach and when she turned Daryl cursed silently.

She had to be no more than eighteen, _if_ she was that old. What the hell was Merle thinking?

"Merle!" He called as he walked over.

"Hey hey lil' brother." Merle called from underneath the car.

Daryl kicked the edge of his boot. "What the hell?" He muttered.

"Fuck's it look like brother? Fixin' this pretty lady's car," Merle grumbled.

Daryl looked over at the girl who was staring at them with an almost amused expression on her face. He nodded at her politely before crouching down next to Merle.

"Truck's outta gas on the side of the road. Thanks a lot asshole. Almost didn't make it to work," Daryl hissed.

"What! I put gas in that bitch yesterday. Must have a goddamn leak." 

Daryl's eyes narrowed. "Leak, my ass! You do this shit all the time! Now I gotta find somebody to drive us over and pick it up." 

"If he gets my car fixed, I would be glad to drive you both over," the girl said softly. She cleared her throat nervously. "It's the least I can do for your brother fixing my car so cheap."

"See? Problem solved lil' brother. Quit your bitchin'. You really need to chill out," Merle called from under the hood.

The girl giggled and Daryl sighed. "I'm gonna go take a shower. How long's this gonna take?" 

"Not too long. Gonna have to order another radiator. I'm jus' gonna patch it for her to last her til' we can get another one," Merle explained.

The girl looked worried. "Is that safe?" 

Merle snorted. "Don't worry, Merle's the best mechanic around. He wouldn't let you drive off if it weren't," Daryl said. He started to walk away.

"Hey!" Merle called.

Daryl turned. "What?"

"How ya get to work? Ya have to walk?" Merle asked. He cursed as something thumped onto the wooden floor.

"Nah, I didn't walk. Some chick picked me up," Daryl said and immediately regretted it. Merle was always trying to set him up with a woman. He should have just kept his big mouth shut. Now Merle would rag him about it.

Merle slid out from under the car at this news. He wiped his hands on a rag and grinned at Daryl. "A chick, huh? What she look like? She got big-" Then he paused and looked over at the girl as if he suddenly remembered she was there. He cleared his throat. "She got a big car?" He asked instead. The girl giggled behind her hand.

"Her name's Carol. She's married Merle," Daryl said.

"Carol, huh? What's her last name?" Merle squinted into the sun and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Daryl sighed, "I didn't ask."

"What! Ya didn't ask? How the hell ya supposed to look her up without a last name? Ain't I taught ya anything?" Merle shook his head and shot a wink at Beth who blushed in response. "What she look like?"

"I dunno. She's got kind of a reddish brown color hair. Kinda short. She's skinny as hell."

"What she drive?" Merle asked.

"A Honda Civic. We about done now? I'm fucking tired Merle," Daryl growled.

Merle scratched his head. "Carol," he mumbled. "Ah hell, Ed's wife? Carol Peletier? Shit son, that bastard finds out she picked ya up, he's liable to kill her."

"What you mean by that shit?" Daryl's interest was piqued now. He thought the woman was real nice. He had heard of Ed before, but he didn't know much about him. Merle, however, knew everyone. Daryl didn't want to see the woman get hurt just for being nice to him.

Merle scowled. "Ed's a fuckin' pussy. Get's his rocks off by beatin' that woman a his. Ain't a soul 'round that don't know it either."

Daryl frowned. There wasn't anything he hated more than a man who beat on a woman. Even his brother for all his attitude wouldn't put up with crap like that. Daryl clenched his fists at the thought of Carol getting beat by her husband. It explained a lot really. The sunglasses and the fear; she had been scared of him. He bit back a curse.

"I'm going to shower."

Merle just nodded and walked back over to get back under the car.

….

Merle finished applying the last coat of a sealant to hold the girl's radiator over until she could order a new one. He climbed out from under the car and wiped his oily hands on his rag. She was still standing in the same place she had been since they had pulled up. Damn girl hadn't moved an inch. She watched him as he wiped his hands somewhat clean.

"I put some sealant on it for ya. It'll hold ya maybe two weeks an' then ya gonna need to replace it with a new one. Good news is your head gasket ain't blown," Merle explained. Beth just stared at him stupidly and then he realized she probably had no idea what he was talking about. "You're okay to drive it for two weeks but get yourself another radiator ordered," he simplified.

She smiled. "Thank you Merle! You totally saved me! How much do I owe you?" She began digging through her pockets and pulled out some money.

"Damn girl! Put that damn money away! Don't you know nothin'? You can't go flashin' cash in front of people ya don't know! People can take advantage of ya!" 

She flinched and he realized he hadn't meant to yell. She was just so damn gullible and he couldn't stand the thought of anyone taking advantage of that innocence. It was a good thing he had brought her car here. Hank and his boys would have patched it up and charged her two hundred dollars for something that hadn't taken any time at all.

"No charge," he muttered.

She turned wide eyes to him. "But I have to pay you _something!_ " 

Merle rolled his eyes. "Look, ya take me and my brother to get some gas for our truck an' we'll call it even, alright?"

"Okay," she agreed. "Merle?"

He sighed. "Yeah?" Damn, this girl just wouldn't leave it alone.

"When I get the new radiator, will you put it in for me?" 

He stared down into those big blue eyes and felt something inside himself soften. It pissed him off. He wasn't some damn pussy that got all soft over a female. A _girl_ on top of that. Those eyes of hers were killer though and he found himself standing there like an idiot just staring at her. She didn't say anything; she just stared at him back. Finally he shook his head and looked off into the distance. This was a distraction he didn't need right now. This girl didn't fit his life. She had no idea all the shit he did and here she was, staring at him like he was some kind of hero for patching up her damn _radiator_.

"Sure," he heard himself grumble.

She smiled again and reached over to hug him. He pushed her arms off gently. "Easy now girlie. Ain't wantin' the neighbors thinkin' I'm takin' advantage of ya. Merle Dixon may do a lot of things, but takin' advantage of a girl ain't one of them."

He walked over to her car and began filling it with coolant and checking for any leaking. He was pleased to see that there was none. Yep, Merle Dixon knew his cars. He smiled to himself.

"I'm not a girl, you know. I'm eighteen. Legally, I'm an adult," Beth said.

Merle lifted his head so quickly he about knocked himself out on the hood of the car.

"Goddamn it!" He swore and rubbed his head. She came over to him and bent his head over to look at the bump that was forming there. Her hands were gentle as she moved his hair out of the way and Merle was momentarily frozen at her touch. He stood there for a few moments, wondering what the hell he was doing.

"Am I interrupting something'?" Daryl said from behind them. Merle could almost _feel_ Daryl smiling behind them.

Merle swore again. He yanked his head from her grip roughly. He shot a glare at Daryl who _was_ smirking at him. "Nope. Was just 'bout to come and get ya. Your ass takes longer than a woman to get ready," Merle griped.

He looked over at Beth and saw that she and Daryl both were grinning at him. He muttered something obscene under his breath and stalked over to the car to open the door. "Well? We gonna stand here cluckin' like chickens all day or are we goin' to get the damn truck?"

Daryl snickered. Merle shot him the bird as Beth looked away to open the driver's side door.

.............


	4. Chapter 4

................

Daryl rode in the back and studied Merle as the girl, who he had found out was named Beth, drove them to the truck based on the directions he had given. Merle kept sneaking glances at her out of the corner of his eye. Daryl found himself amused by the whole situation. He would make sure to give Merle hell about this next time he got on his nerves. Which, knowing Merle wasn't likely to be too far away.

He looked out the window at the passing scenery, but he wasn't really paying attention to anything. His mind kept drifting back to Carol and how pretty she had looked when she had smiled. He wanted to see her again, but he wasn't sure how he could make that happen with her jackass of a husband hanging around. He wasn't quite sure what attracted him to her when no one else had even gotten a second glance from him so far. Maybe it was the fact that they both seemed to have their own share of wounds. Most of Daryl's were on the inside except for a few that he never allowed anyone to see.

They pulled up to a gas station and Daryl grabbed the gas can out of the back to fill it with gas for the truck. He bought himself a bag of jerky to hold him over until dinner and paid for the gas before pumping. When he got back in the car, Merle turned to eye the jerky with a glare. Jerky was their favorite snack food.

Daryl eyed him and smirked as he shoved a piece of jerky in his mouth. He knew Merle was holding back because Beth was in the car and Daryl was using that to his advantage to taunt him. He saw Merle bite his lip and then he reached his arm behind the seat and made a grab for the bag.

"Back off dumbass. This is payback for makin' me walk to work," Daryl said.

Merle snorted. "Your ass didn't walk. Carol picked ya up."

"Well I would have walked if she hadn't."

Daryl knew that Merle was biding his time until they stopped the car at the truck. When Beth pulled over, Daryl grabbed the gas tank and got out with Merle dead on his heels. Daryl was ready for him though. He set the gas tank down and turned to face Merle.

"Gimme that jerky lil' brother," Merle taunted with a grin.

Daryl grinned back. "Fuck you."

That was all it took and the two brothers ran at one another, grinning like idiots. They weren't really fighting, just blowing off steam. Merle grabbed Daryl in a headlock and Daryl reached up to twist his nipple. Merle howled in pain, but neither brother let go.

"Gimme that jerky you asshole," Merle grunted.

"Fat chance reject!" Daryl stepped on his foot hard and Merle swore.

Beth cleared her throat behind him and both of the brothers turned in surprise. They had both forgotten she was there. Daryl gave Merle one last shove and Merle shot him the bird. Daryl grinned and tossed him the bag of jerky and Merle grinned back in response. Beth shook her head in amazement.

"So that's it? Fight's over?" She asked.

"We weren't fightin' girl. We were just negotiatin'," Merle mumbled between bites of jerky.

Daryl took the opportunity to go fill up the gas tank of the truck. Hopefully, Merle wouldn't run it out tonight like usual. Daryl wished every day could be like today. Merle was in a good mood today but that wasn't always the case. Sometimes he could be a real bitch when he started craving a high. Those days Daryl wanted to kick his ass for real, instead of just joking around like they just did. He finished the jug and turned to Merle.

"Let's go." he said.

...

Merle shot Daryl a look as Daryl climbed into the driver's seat. He turned to Beth who was leaning against her car. He was surprised she hadn't run for the hills by now. He and his brother were a lot to take in all at once. They could be kind of intimidating, but this little girl didn't seem intimidated at all. He liked that about her though he would never admit it to anyone.

"Well listen, you get that radiator darlin' and bring it on by the house when ya can and I'll put it in for ya." 

She nodded. "Okay. Thanks Merle."

"Yeah, sure." He wasn't sure what else to say so he turned to open the passenger door.

"Merle?" She called out and hee turned back to her. "Greene." 

"Green? What the fuck's green?" He asked.

Beth shook her head. "No. My last name. It's Greene. You know, in case you want to look me up," she blushed.

Merle smiled lazily at her. Damn girl had a little spark in her after all. She sure was an intriguing thing. He didn't reply and instead winked at her and climbed in the cab of the truck beside his brother.

Daryl looked at him. "Aren't you gonna kiss her bye?"

Merle scowled. "Shut up."

...

They drove into town and Daryl pulled up at the grocery store. There wasn't anything he hated more than grocery shopping, but with their limited budget they didn't have much choice. There was no one else to do it for them and Merle would never be caught dead shopping so it was left up to Daryl as usual. Merle stood outside to smoke while Daryl walked in for a couple of things. He strolled through the aisles and grumbled under his breath. He felt like he was an exhibit at the zoo around all of the women and kids that were shopping. He got a few appreciative looks thrown his way, but he mostly ignored them and focused on finding what he needed so that he could get out of there. The less time he spent in there the better. He didn't like crowds.

He grabbed up a loaf of bread, peanut butter, and jelly. Then he strolled to the frozen food section and grabbed a few TV dinners. Neither of them cooked so they lived off of fast food and microwaveable dinners. _Maybe Merle needs to bring home a woman that can cook a decent meal instead of these damn ten cent whores,_ Daryl thought to himself. He smirked and turned the corner only to run right into a shopping cart.

"Damn it! Sorry," Daryl muttered.

"It's okay," a familiar voice said.

He looked up and right into the eyes of Carol. Well, right into her sunshades anyway. _Was_ s _he really wearing the damn sunshades inside the grocery store?_   She gave him a small smile and she looked around nervously. Daryl followed her gaze.

"Looking for your husband?" 

She turned back to him quickly, her eyes wide. "You know my husband?" 

Daryl snorted. "I know enough. I heard some things, yeah."

She gripped the handle of the cart so tight that her knuckles turned white. "I should go," she said. She turned the cart, but he grabbed the end, stopping her.

"I want to thank you again for what you did earlier. That was real nice of you." 

She nodded and gave him another small smile before pushing the cart down the next aisle. He stood back and watched from a distance as Ed sauntered up the aisle and grabbed her arm roughly. An ordinary person might have missed it, but Daryl was watching for it. He wanted to see if the rumors were true. It was hard to believe that a woman would stay with someone like Ed. For the life of him, he couldn't figure it out.

Ed was a big man, and not all muscle either. Ed was overweight...and obnoxious. He talked a big game, but Daryl knew that deep down he was a pussy. He couldn't remember what Ed did for a living, might have been something to do with selling insurance or something like that. Either way Daryl was developing a deep hatred for the man.

Daryl paid for his items and walked out to find Merle talking to another blonde as he leaned against the truck. Daryl shook his head in amazement.

The man never stopped.

...

Merle tossed his cigarette onto the ground and crushed it under the heel of his boot. He was bored. He needed something to occupy his time, like a good drink and a good woman. The girl from earlier kept trying to come to mind, but he pushed the thought away. That wouldn't ever work. He hopped onto the tailgate of the truck and watched the people as they walked by. You could learn a lot by watching people.

"Well, well, if it isn't Merle Dixon," a voice said from behind him.

He turned around and smiled. "Hey sugar! Where ya been hidin'? Merle's got himself an itch."

She walked over to him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. He drank in the sight of her. Damn, but the woman had an ass that begged for you to grab it. She was wearing a skirt and a tank which made it that much harder for him to keep his eyes away from her. She hopped up next to him onto the tailgate, their legs touching lightly.

"I been around. Had some things to take care of. What's up?" She smiled at him.

Merle grinned and glanced down at his pants. "You tell me darlin'," he drawled.

She laughed and leaned closer. "We should hang out later." 

He eyed her and stood up to lean against the truck. "Sounds like a plan sugar." He winked at her.

"Merle!"

Merle swore. His brother had the worst timing sometimes. "Right here lil' brother. Come say hello." 

Daryl set some bags in the truck and walked over. "Andrea." He nodded his head at her.

"Daryl," she said back. Her eyes trailed over him appreciatively. Merle noticed that Daryl didn't even look at her.

"You ready?" Daryl asked him.

Merle looked back at Andrea and then at Daryl. "Me and blondie here's gonna go hang for a bit. I'll catch ya back at the house."

Daryl huffed but remained quiet. Merle knew that Daryl didn't much care for Andrea. Hell Merle himself didn't know if he liked her much either, but she did know how to have fun and Merle did like that.

Merle's eyes fixated on the door of the store as Carol and Ed walked out. Ed was clearly giving her hell judging from the way he was talking to her and the fact that she was pushing the hell out of the shopping cart. He tipped his head towards them. "There she is brother. Her and that dickhead she calls a husband." Merle got a nasty taste in his mouth just looking at Ed.

...

"Who are we looking at?" Andrea butted in.

Neither one paid her any attention though as their eyes remained focused on Ed and Carol as they walked by. Carol still had her sunglasses on and she had her head down. Daryl felt the insane urge to reach out and pull her away from the fat bastard. He decided to remain quiet though, not wanting to make things more difficult for her. It was harder than he thought to be quiet.

Leave it to Merle to mess that up.

"Hey Ed, why don't you come on over an' take a look at what a real man looks like!" Merle called out. He and Andrea both laughed.

"Damn it, Merle!" Daryl hissed.

Ed scowled. "You shut your mouth Dixon. I ain't got time for the likes of you." He grabbed Carol's arm roughly and yanked her forward towards their car. Daryl's fists tightened involuntarily. He wished he could see her eyes. He hated those damn shades.

Merle sauntered up to Ed and Daryl groaned out loud. The bastard didn't know when to keep his mouth shut sometimes. Merle leaned in real close to Ed and Daryl saw Carol shrink back a few steps. "What's the matter Ed? In a hurry to go lay hands on ya wife?" Merle hissed.

Ed's expression grew flustered. "You need to mind your own damn business. What goes on between me and my wife is _our_ business!" Eds words grew louder the angrier he got.

Daryl noticed that people were starting to look at them. "Yeah? Well when she walks out here with them shades on, covered in bruises, ya make it our business. Nobody likes a wife beater Ed," Merle growled.

Carol turned to Daryl. "Make him stop. Please," she whispered. He noticed that her mouth was trembling. _Why was she taking up for the sick fuck?_

Daryl went up to Merle and grabbed him by the arm. "Ya know, if you was twice as smart, you'd still be stupid." Merle laughed at Ed. Daryl knew what Merle was up to. He was trying to piss Ed off enough that Ed would hit him. Merle wanted an excuse to kick his ass and that just meant that Merle wouldn't be stopped either. It didn't mean that Daryl still wasn't going to try though.

Daryl tightened his grip on Merle and began dragging him backwards which was not an easy task. "Lay off Merle!"

Ed was getting braver now that Merle was being dragged away. "At least I'm not an inbred redneck!" 

Daryl stopped dragging Merle and he and Merle both tensed. Merle looked down at him wordlessly and Daryl let go of his arm. You didn't insult a Dixon like that and get away with it.

Merle ran up to Ed and grabbed him by the balls. "Got somethin' else ya wanna say Ed? Cause I got two hands," Merle muttered. "Not that I'd need them for somethin' this small."

Daryl briefly noticed that Andrea had backed into the crowd that had formed. Daryl went over and grabbed Carol's arm gently to move her back a few feet. She was so light that it didn't take much to move her. Carol's hand was covering her mouth and she reached back to grab onto his arm but he didn't think she was even aware she was doing it. He stared down at her pale hand against his tan skin. Surprisingly, the touch didn't even bother him and he stayed still so as not to break the contact.

Ed's fist came up and hit Merle squarely in the jaw. Merle didn't even flinch. Ed's face was pale and he was sweating as he looked around for help, but no one cared much for Ed Peletier so they all remained quiet and watchful.

Merle spoke so low that Daryl had to strain to hear him. "You beat her again Ed, I'm gonna kill ya."

............


	5. Chapter 5

**...**

"What's going on out here?" A deep voice boomed over the crowd.

Daryl watched Officer Walsh push his way through the crowd. He wasn't on duty, but Daryl knew it didn't matter. He cursed and hoped like hell Merle didn't get himself locked up for this. Walsh was always looking for a reason to lock Merle up.

Merle had released Ed's balls and was now just standing in front of him. Walsh eyed the two of them suspiciously. "You want to explain yourself Dixon?" 

Merle clenched his jaw and his eyes met Daryl's. Daryl slowly shook his head and Merle looked back to Shane. "This _prick_ knocked me in my jaw. I'd like to press charges," Merle said.

Carol's grip tightened on his arm. He had the urge to put his arm around her, but he shook it off and kept his eyes trained on Merle and Ed instead.

"This son of a bitch grabbed me in the crotch! Ask anybody! Ask them what he did!" Ed cried.

Shane looked between the two of them and then back at the crowd. "Did anybody witness what happened here?" He asked.

A few people coughed and murmurs could be heard through the crowd, but no one came forward. Shane turned back to Merle and Ed with a sigh.

"I did sir," a voice called out.

Daryl's eyes searched the crowd and finally spotted Tyreese making his way to the front. Despite himself, he grinned. Tyreese came to a stop in front of Shane.

"Well, did Mr. Dixon grab this man, like Mr. Peletier claims?" Shane crossed his arms as he studied them.

"No sir. Mr. Dixon here was talking to him, and this guy," he nodded to Ed, "Reared back and punched him clear in the jaw. Mr. Dixon never touched him," Tyreese explained.

Shane appeared to be thinking about this. He clearly didn't want to believe Merle was capable of not throwing the first punch, but now he had a witness that he couldn't ignore. He stood there a few more minutes before finally nodding.

"Alright. I gotta call this in. You two baboons stay put," he said as he walked over to his truck.

Ed looked around for Carol and Daryl saw the moment that his eyes zeroed in on where she had her hand. She must have seen it too, because she immediately removed her hand and walked over to him. Daryl watched her go and then he walked over to where Merle and Tyreese were standing.

"I hope your ass don't get locked up for this shit," he muttered to Merle. "Thanks a lot, man." He nodded at Tyreese.

"No problem at all. Can't stand a man that beats on a woman. See you at work." Tyreese gave a wave and went back through the crowd.

Merle stood there tensely and kept his eyes on Ed. Ed crossed his legs and then winced and turned his back on them. Daryl couldn't help but grin. He hoped the man couldn't piss for a month without thinking of Merle. It would serve him right. Then he noticed Carol standing off to the side staring at him and he wiped the grin from his face. She reached up and shakily took off her sunshades as Daryl watched, completely captivated. She folded them and put them in her purse and then she stared back at Daryl. She had intense blue eyes that seemed to stare straight into his soul. He stood there for a few minutes, just staring back at her until Merle elbowed him.

"Ow! What the fuck?" He hissed as he turned to his brother.

"You done ogling your lil' girlfriend? I'm tryin' to talk to ya," Merle said. "You comin' to bail me out if they haul me in, aren't ya?" 

Daryl sighed. "Don't I always?"

Merle shrugged, but Daryl knew he couldn't deny it. Daryl had always found a way to bail Merle out. He knew that the longer Merle stayed cramped up in a cell with other drunks and criminals, the more likely he was to rack up more charges. It was cheaper to just bail him out as soon as possible. They both looked over as Shane walked back to where they were all standing.

"Sheriff Grimes is on his way over. Merle, they'll probably take you in and get your statement." Shane turned to Ed. "Ed, if he presses charges, they'll lock you up."

Daryl saw Merle wink at Ed and he popped him in the back of the head when no one was looking. Merle scowled at him and rubbed his head, but he quit antagonizing Ed. As much as Daryl enjoyed seeing Ed suffer, he didn't need Merle giving the cops any reason to lock him up.

A few minutes later Sheriff Grimes pulled up in his cruiser. Shane had gotten most of the crowd to disperse, but there were still a few hanging around, including Andrea. Rick Grimes walked over to them slowly and looked back and forth between the two men. Daryl didn't miss the look he exchanged with Shane.

"Well I see we've got a situation guys. From what I've heard from Officer Walsh, Ed punched Merle in the face, is that right Merle?" Rick looked to Merle and Merle nodded. "Well, since you want to press charges, I'm going to need both of you down at the station. Merle, you'll be able to leave once you fill out the proper paperwork." 

Daryl watched Officer Walsh escort Ed to the police cruiser while Rick walked over to Carol. He watched Rick discuss some things with her while she looked down at her feet and nodded every few minutes. She ran a hand through her hair and finally looked up and their eyes met. He stared at her until Rick turned to see what she was staring at. They exchanged a few more words and then he placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. He watched Carol load her groceries in her car, but just as he started to walk over Rick headed their way. He stopped just in front of Merle.

"I'm not sure how much I believe the story about Ed hitting you first Dixon." Merle began to object, but Rick held up a hand and he quieted. " _But,_ I'm not a fan of Ed and I'm not oblivious to what goes on in that household. However, she refuses to press charges so there's nothing I can do. I _c_ _an_ lock him up for the night and make sure he doesn't get out until the morning though." Rick ran a hand through his hair.

Daryl looked at the man with a new respect. He could tell that Merle was surprised too from the look he was giving the sheriff. It wasn't every day the Dixon's had a calm discussion with law enforcement that didn't involve them being in some kind of trouble. He sneaked a glance at Carol and saw her walking to put her cart back up.

"You coming down to the station to fill out that paperwork Dixon?" Rick asked.

Merle looked at Carol and then at Ed. His jaw clenched. "If it keeps that prick away from her for the night, then I'll be there." 

Rick nodded and went to speak to Shane for a few moments before getting in his police car and driving off. Daryl kept stealing glances at Carol who was almost back to her car. He really wanted to go talk to her. He looked at Merle.

"Why don't you take the truck and go take care of business? I'm going to stick around here for a bit," he said.

Merle followed his gaze over to Carol. His face split into a wide grin. "You gonna tap that lil' brother?"

Daryl shot him a glare. " _Shut up_ Merle!"

...

Daryl jogged over to where Carol was just sitting down in the driver's seat of her car. "Hey." 

She looked up at him with a startled expression, "Hey."

Daryl shuffled his feet and realized he had no idea what to say to her. He hadn't had a plan when he came over. He just knew that he wanted to spend some more time with her.

"Your brother just left you," she observed as they watched Merle drive off in the truck.

Daryl nodded. "He's gonna go and fill out that paperwork down at the station."

Carol looked down at her car keys. "Oh. He got my husband locked up." She said it so simply, as if she didn't much care. He wondered if she expected an apology? He surely wasn't going to apologize for Merle. Not this time.

Daryl flinched. "Can't say as I'm sorry about that. Wanted to beat his ass myself." 

Her head snapped up to look at him. "Why?"

Daryl was exasperated. _Was she serious right now?_ "What you mean,  _why?_ Look at your face! You really think it's okay for him to do that to you?" He was angry and rightfully so.

She ignored his question. "You need a ride?" 

Daryl stopped pacing and looked over at her, "What?"

"Do you need a ride? I can take you home." She looked over his shoulder towards the parking lot, avoiding his eyes.

"Yeah." He crossed over to the passenger side and got in.

She started the car and he gave her directions to his house. She didn't say anything and he struggled to find something to say to her. Except his brain kept coming up blank. Talking with women had never been too easy for him. Unless it was the women that Merle brought home. It was easy to talk to them because mostly he was just angry at them being there. They rode in silence for a few minutes before she finally spoke.

"I tried to leave him once." She said the words so softly that Daryl almost thought he had imagined it. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter and he sat silently, waiting for her to continue. "I packed a bag and I decided I was going to buy a bus ticket to wherever was the farthest away. I made it to the station and would have made it to the bus too, if he hadn't come in and found me sitting there. Said a friend of his called and told him they saw me there. He picked up my stuff and dragged me back out to the car. There was no one in the bus stop besides a few people and they didn't even bat an eye. He told me that if I ever tried to leave again that he would find me. He said that no matter where I went, he would _always_ find me because he knew people." She laughed harshly. "He said it just like that, he _knew_ people. What was I supposed to say to that? I'm too scared to call his bluff. I don't have anyone here. He's kept me sheltered from life. I haven't got any family left and all the friends I had when we dated, he drove away. So I put up with it until I can find a way out." She shrugged, "It's been three years and I'm still searching. He wasn't this man when we dated. I guess looking back there might have been warning signs, but I didn't see them. I thought I was in love." She laughed bitterly and glanced at him, "I guess this is a lot to throw on you, huh?"

He stared at her as he contemplated the things she had just told him. He hadn't ever been scared of anything in his life so he wasn't sure what it felt like to be scared to leave someone. He pointed out his driveway and she turned in and left the engine running. He suddenly wished he lived farther away so that he could find out more about this woman that was such a mystery to him.

"You could leave him if you wanted. Merle and I, we could help you. Wouldn't anybody mess with you if you were with us."  _Where the hell had that come from?_ _He barely knew this woman._

She smiled softly at him and touched his hand lightly. "You're a very sweet man, Daryl. But, I could never involve you or your brother. This is something I have to do on my own." She removed her hand and looked out through the windshield towards his house.

Daryl felt rejected. He knew that he and his brother didn't have much to offer, but they weren't abusive. She would be safe with them, so why was she being so stubborn? He figured it was because she didn't like him much. _Wasn't sweet a code word for boring or something?_

"You have a nice place," she said softly.

Daryl snorted. "You sure we're looking at the same one? Damn place is falling apart. It isn't worth the rent we give for it."

"Any place is nice that doesn't have someone like Ed." 

He thought about that, and figured she was probably right to some degree. He knew he should get out of the car now; he couldn't expect her to sit here all night. He sighed and opened the car door. He turned to look back at her and saw she was still looking at the house.

"If something happens when he gets out, you know where we are. Ed may know people, but we know a lot worse people. I know we get bad reps, but we aren't bad people." 

"I know." That was all she said, just  _I know_.

He got out and shut the door and waited until she had backed out and was driving back down the road before he finally turned to walk back into the house. Merle would be back soon from the police station. He was hungry and wanted nothing more than to fix himself something to eat and go to bed. Then he remembered that Merle had the groceries with him in the truck.

"Goddamn it, Merle!" 

..........


	6. Chapter 6

**...**

Carol drove back home in a daze. Dozens of emotions were flooding her brain: relief, panic, but most of all - hope. She wasn't sure what had compelled her to give Daryl a ride twice now, but she had. She knew that if Ed found out about either time it would end badly for her. She already dreaded picking him up from the jail in the morning. Even though she had nothing to do with it, it would be her fault. It always was. The fact that he had seen her grab onto Daryl's arm would only add fuel to the fire. She was terrified of what he might do this time. He had given her awful looks as he was being led away by Officer Walsh.

She had gotten somewhat used to all of the beatings. As much as a person could get used to something like that anyway. Not a day went by anymore that she wasn't abused in some way, either physically or emotionally. She sighed as she pulled in front of their little country house. She used to love this home, but now it just summoned up bad memories for her. There wasn't a part of this house that was safe from Ed. Each room held a memory and as she opened the door to the house that was now dark, she had to fight the urge to flee.

She had wanted to say yes to Daryl's offer. She couldn't believe she had almost blurted it out. _What had she been thinking? Surely, he was just being nice._ She didn't have a lot of faith in men but Daryl seemed different somehow. He seemed pure as gold and she wondered why he was still single. His brother sure seemed to get around with the ladies. She found herself smirking at the image of Merle grabbing Ed between the legs. Even though she knew she would pay dearly for it, a part of her had still enjoyed it.

She wished that she had the guts to stand up to him. A lot of people looked at her like she was stupid for staying with him. But they didn't know Ed like she did. Ed was devious, and she wasn't quite sure how far he might go if she tried to get away again. If she had said yes to Daryl's offer, he and Merle would have been dragged into the mess that was her life. No, this was her cross to bear, and she knew she had to take action soon. She couldn't go on living like this.

She had wanted kids. She wouldn't have minded a house full of them, because she loved taking care of people. She remembered how she had gotten pregnant shortly after she and Ed had gotten married. She had been waiting to tell him, hoping that he would be just as excited about the news as she was. What a fool she had been. He had slapped her and called her a whore, saying that the child probably wasn't his. She ended up losing the baby after he got drunk one night and pushed her too hard. She had fallen down the porch steps and she ended up having a miscarriage. She had grieved hard over the loss of that baby. It was just as well though; she wouldn't have wanted to bring a child into this world just to be beaten by Ed.

She walked through the house, making sure everything was spotless before making her way to the bedroom. She took one step in the room and turned right around and walked out. She didn't want to sleep in that bed that smelled of Ed. Ed always smelled of cheap cigars and she hated it. She grabbed a fresh pillow and blanket from the linen closet and settled down onto the couch. The house was quiet, but she breathed easy knowing that at least until morning; she didn't have to worry about Ed. She fell asleep to visions of a certain redneck with unruly hair and a sexy smile.

…..

Merle smiled wickedly as he signed his name to the form at the police station. It wasn't as good as beating the hell out of Ed, but he got a sense of satisfaction from knowing that the bastard had to spend the night in jail. Merle knew how it felt, but jail had never bothered Merle. Most people took one look at him and his fuck-off attitude and had enough good sense to keep their distance. Then there were the idiots who tried to be bad asses and take him on. He got a twisted sense of joy out of proving them wrong.

He slipped into the truck and instinctively headed towards a favorite bar of his called Hangover. It was owned by a man they called Red, who had probably _had_ a hangover when he had picked the name. He pulled the truck up and walked inside. He had swiped a few bucks from Daryl earlier and he had a thirst that only beer or liquor could quench. He sat down at the bar and eyed a cute blonde sitting at the end. She smiled at him and next thing he knew he had a beer sitting in front of him, courtesy of her. He tipped his head at her and winked. She stood up and began to make her way over to him when another blonde cut her off.

"Merle! Where have you been! I've been looking all over for you!" Andrea cried and planted a big kiss on his lips. The other blonde gave them a scowl and walked off in search of other game. Merle cursed to himself.

"I had business darlin'. Wanna contribute to the pleasure portion?" He ran his hand across her ass. Beggars couldn't be choosers sometimes so she would have to do for now. Anything to get the image of the blonde he _really_ wanted from his head.

She eyed him hungrily. It wouldn't be their first round in the sack. They had been around a time or two and Merle didn't have to lay on the charm much for her. She knew what she was getting and he knew she liked it. She had a habit of being clingy though, so Merle tried to limit his time with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sat on his lap.

"Let's go back to your place," she practically purred in his ear.

Merle downed his beer and set the empty glass back on the counter. "Ain't you got a place?" He didn't feel like having to deal with Daryl's shit right now.

"Yeah but my sister's got someone over. It would be a lot better to go to your place."

Merle sighed, "Guess one's just as good as the other."

...

As soon as Merle walked in the door with Andrea in tow his brother scowled at him. "We need to talk." 

Merle shot him a look and glanced at Andrea. "Be right back blondie." Merle followed Daryl into the kitchen. "What's up lil' brother? You talk some sense into ya girlfriend?"

Daryl growled at him, "Shut up Merle. What is that bitch doin' here?"

Merle smirked. "Calm down. A man's got needs, and I _needs_ me some pussy." He laughed at his own joke.

"That shit isn't funny. She's fuckin' crazy. I gotta work tomorrow, and y'all better be fuckin' quiet!" 

Merle rolled his eyes. His brother was such a buzzkill. "We'll fuck real quiet, okay lil' brother?" Merle patted Daryl on the shoulder with a patronizing expression before he left the room. He beckoned to Andrea and she followed him into his room.

She reached into her purse and pulled out several things that she set on the table beside his bed.

"What you got there darlin'?" 

She smiled as she straightened the items. "Got us some Red Rock, baby." She set the needles out last.

Merle did heroin on occasion, but it tended to make him feel like hell when he was coming off of it. He had been trying to stay away from it, but being so close to it now he felt himself craving the high he would get from it. He watched as she prepared it on the spoon and then injected it into a fresh needle.

She held it out to him. "Well? You up for it?"

Merle swallowed. He really wanted to say no, but seeing it made it so hard to turn down. He wasn't strong enough to resist the temptation yet. He sighed and once again the vision of a young blonde girl came to mind, but he forced it away. She had no place here and he found himself silently nodding to Andrea as she walked over to him. He held his arm out and watched as she injected it. She walked back over and got rid of the used needle before grabbing another for herself. He turned away from her and began removing his clothes. He was ready to pound those images from his brain. A few minutes later she approached him and he saw that she was already naked. He was already hard and waiting. He pushed her onto his bed and immediately began sucking on her nipples. She moaned and bucked underneath him, but he tried to block her out. He was starting to feel really good now that the drugs had really hit him and he slipped a finger inside of her slick folds. He stroked her until she was writhing beneath him and then he remembered the condom. He reached over for it, but she stopped him.

"I'm on the pill, she said breathlessly.

She grabbed his cock and guided it inside of her before he could object. He groaned as Beth's face came to mind again. Emitting a low growl he thrust harder, but her face just wouldn't go away. Merle swore. He was starting to feel a bit dizzy. She was moaning beneath him, but he hardly heard her. He felt the orgasm vibrate through her right before he groaned his release. He collapsed on top of her and immediately knocked out, visions of a blue-eyed blonde burning in his brain.

...

Daryl tossed and turned on his bed. He couldn't seem to get comfortable, especially with the sexual Olympics going on in the other room. Usually it didn't bother him so much, but tonight it only made him think of Carol. He wondered what it would be like to be with her that way. She probably wouldn't be impressed with his lack of skills. He knew the basics and stuff Merle told him from time to time, but performing those things was an entirely different matter.

He sighed. He really needed to get some rest before work tomorrow. They could use all the money they could get and they needed to get caught up on their rent before they got evicted. The landlord was a nice enough man, but he had already given them more time than he was required to get caught up on rent. It wouldn't be long before he got fed up and had them evicted.

If he could just get Merle to stay on the straight and narrow they might be able to get caught up. But of course, Merle was Merle, and he was going to do what made him happy first, consequences be damned. He couldn't believe Merle had brought Andrea here. Daryl really didn't like Andrea. He wasn't quite sure why, but she seemed manipulative. He knew she slept around and her and Merle had done drugs together on several occasions. He could only hope that one day Merle would grow up and start showing some responsibility.

He yawned and next thing he knew he was asleep.

...

_She reached over and kissed him. Her lips were so soft and she moaned as she rubbed herself against him. He stared into her blue eyes and saw past the scars to the beautiful woman she was underneath. She was so frail and he was afraid of hurting her. She didn't seem to mind his inexperience and she smiled at him before kneeling in front of him. His breath hitched as she unzipped his pants and grabbed him. She stroked him with her tongue and he groaned. He was so hard and he knew there was no way he would last long. He bit his lip and tried to hold back. He-_

Daryl's eyes shot open and he sat straight up to stare into the face of Andrea. She was stroking him with one hand while she sucked on him with her mouth. He cringed and placed his hand against her forehead to shove her off. He was embarrassed that he was so blatantly aroused.

"Fuckin' bitch!" 

She wiped her mouth with her hand and smiled up at him. He could tell that she was high by how dilated her eyes were. He had seen it enough times with Merle to recognize it.

Daryl Dixon didn't hit women... _e_ _ver._ However, this was one of those times where he was sorely tempted and he turned away to tuck himself back into his pants. Andrea was sitting on his floor, naked and panting. He shot her a glare. Merle owed him big time for this. He was sick of his brother bringing these women to their house.

"You should let me finish. You were obviously enjoying it. You were even moa-"

"Shut yourr mouth! If I wanted a ten cent whore I would have called you in here. Get the hell out!" He interrupted her to yell. He hadn't known Andrea was touching him. He had been dreaming of Carol.

She stood up angrily. "Your brother's right you know. You really need to get laid. You're becoming a real asshole." She marched out of the room and he slammed the door behind her so hard that it vibrated the walls.

He glanced out the window and saw that it was pouring rain. He looked at the clock and saw that it was time to get up, but they had told him not to come in if it rained so he guessed that he had the day off. He was so angry at Andrea that he couldn't even go back to sleep. He heard talking in the other room and he took a breath before opening the door to give Merle a piece of his mind.

**..........**


	7. Chapter 7

**...**

Merle woke up groggy and disoriented. He thought he heard yelling, but he couldn't hear much over the pounding of his own blood pumping within his ears. He pulled himself to a sitting position on the bed and looked around. He remembered Andrea, shooting up, and then parts of them having sex. He heard the shouting again and swung his legs out of bed and crossed to the door. He threw it open and walked into the living room, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to wake up. Whatever Andrea had given him must have been some good shit. He frowned at the sight of Andrea in only a shirt standing in the living room.

She looked pissed, but the look faded as he stood there regarding her. She lifted a brow and coasted her eyes down his body. It was only then that he realized he was naked. He shrugged. Merle had no modesty and very few things could embarrass him, least of all his nakedness. Not that there was anything there _to_ be embarrassed about. He had opened his mouth to ask her what the hell was going on when the door to Daryl's bedroom was flung open and Daryl stalked out, his eyes shooting daggers at the two of them.

Merle squinted at him and then at Andrea. "What fuckin' time is it? And why y'all out here in the goddamn living room?"

Daryl glared at him. "Your little _bitch_ was in my room with her mouth on my fuckin' cock! I'm sick of this shit Merle!" Daryl yelled.

Merle scratched himself as he tried to make sense of what was going on. He really needed to take a piss, and he was thirsty as hell. He wasn't in the mood for all of this soap opera drama. Andrea stormed over to him.

"I was just trying to have a little fun with him. You said yourself that he was too damn uptight," Andrea said.

Merle was never one to side with a woman over his brother, no matter how sexy she was or how tore up he was. His brother was blood, and there wasn't anything stronger than that to Merle. It didn't go unnoticed by him that Andrea was high either. She must have shot up again while Merle was out. There was something off about the whole situation though. Merle had never blanked out so much from one hit.

"Ya best get your stuff and be gettin' on home blondie. I'll drive ya over to your car," he said.

Andrea gave him an icy glare and stalked into the bedroom to get her belongings. Daryl was standing by the window with his arms crossed. Merle was about to ask him why he wasn't getting ready for work when he noticed the rain coming down outside through the window. He avoided Daryl's brooding gaze and went to the kitchen to start some coffee. He rubbed his neck wearily.

_He was getting too old for this shit._

….

By the time Merle dropped Andrea off at her car, he felt much better. His head was finally clear and he was feeling pretty good again. Andrea hadn't said a word to him the whole drive over to her car. It didn't bother Merle any, he sure wasn't going to talk about her feelings or some shit like that. Merle didn't do feelings. He figured it was time to lay low for a bit and wean her off. She had a tendency to be clingy.

He settled into his seat and let his mind wander as he drove silently through the rain. There weren't a lot of people out, but Merle hadn't expected there to be. There wasn't a whole lot to do in this town when it rained, except stay indoors. It looked to be one hell of a boring day and he began thinking of things he could get into. He passed by a car sitting on the side of the road with it's flashers on and he shook his head. _Probably another prick too scared to drive in this rain._ He eyed it briefly as he passed. He didn't understand why people were so scared to drive in the rain. It was just water. He didn't have much tolerance for stupid.

His eyes flicked to his rearview mirror and he hit the brakes. He could barely make out the small car through the pouring rain, but it was definitely a blue Toyota. He cursed and put the truck in reverse. He backed the truck up in front of the Toyota. He cursed himself for turning around, but he couldn't just leave if it was her.

He was about to fling the door open and make a run for it when his passenger door was pulled open. He watched in amazement as Beth jumped up into the seat and shivered from the chill. He was momentarily sidetracked by how wet she was. Her shirt was soaked through and Merle found himself eyeing her bra that was shining clear through her clothing. She turned to him and smiled and he quickly averted his gaze.

He almost smiled back, but then he stopped and frowned. "What the hell were you thinkin' just now girl?" 

Her smile faded and she looked at him with a confused expression. "My c..car died…I-" she stuttered.

"You make it a habit to jump in just anyone's truck lookin' like an advertisement for a wet t-shirt contest?" He snapped. He knew he was scaring her and he tried to tone it down, but he was irritated that she didn't even look to see who it was before jumping in the cab.

She blushed as she looked down at her shirt and wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm. "I knew it was you. No one else has a truck like this."

Merle's expression softened. The way she was looking just damn near cut him like a knife. He reached behind the seat and pulled out an old sweatshirt. He wasn't sure if it was his or Daryl's, but it would work until she could change into something else.

He held it out to her. "Come on and put this on, don't need ya getting sick or nothin'." He avoided looking or saying anything else about her bra. He figured _that_ image would be burned into his brain forever.

He sat there for a minute with the truck running while she climbed into the sweater eagerly. She shivered and rubbed her hands together. She turned to smile at him again and Merle wondered how many times she could make him curse today. She was going to kill him with her kindness. He just knew it.

"Thanks Merle." 

"What happened to you car?" He asked gruffly.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I was driving along fine and then it just died so I had to coast to the side of the road real quick."

"I'll come back by when the rain stops and take a look at it if ya want," he said without thinking. What was wrong with him? Every time he opened his mouth around this girl, he just dug himself in deeper. He was definitely a glutton for punishment.

...

Daryl was trying to scrounge up some food to eat when Merle walked in, towing a very wet Beth behind him. Daryl shut the refrigerator door and stood up, his curiosity piqued. Merle shot him a warning look which Daryl ignored as he disappeared into his room while Beth stood in the doorway of the kitchen.

Daryl stood there awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. She wasn't like all the other women that Merle brought home. She was innocent, and also _very_ young. Daryl didn't know what in the hell Merle was thinking with this one. He watched as Merle came back into the kitchen carrying a shirt and a pair of old gym shorts that tied at the waist.

"We got a bathroom through there ya can change in." He pointed at the door next to his bedroom.

"Thanks," she mumbled and walked away.

A few minutes later, Daryl heard the bathroom door click shut and he turned to Merle with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Let me get this straight. I send you to take one woman back and you bring home another?" Daryl asked.

Merle scowled at him. "Her damn car's messed up. Couldn't just leave 'er there beside the road in the rain," he grumbled.

"Yet you can leave me with hardly no gas in the truck on the side of the road?" Daryl asked.

"Jesus, Daryl! If I wanted a nagging wife, I'd married one!" 

Beth chose that moment to appear at the doorway of the kitchen again. Both of them turned to look at her. The clothes Merle had given her swallowed her body whole and Daryl wondered if that had been partly Merle's intent. She shuffled her feet and then looked up at them with big blue eyes.

"I hung my clothes in the shower to dry. I hope that's okay." 

Daryl nodded since Merle had obviously decided to go mute. "You hungry? I was just looking for something to eat. I could try to scrounge us up something?"

"I can cook," she blushed. "I mean, if you don't mind. I love to cook." She glanced at Merle who was looking at her with a look of awe.

Both of the brothers just stood there momentarily. It had finally happened. Merle had brought home a woman who not only knew _how_ to cook, but one who actually _enjoyed_ doing it. It took them a few seconds to process this.

Daryl cleared his throat. "Mind? Hell, be my guest girl," Daryl said.

She smiled politely at him. "Thanks. You guys can go sit down and watch TV or something. I can call you when it's ready."

She was treated to another one of those looks of awe before they both walked hurriedly back into the living room before she could change her mind.

"A fuckin' home cooked meal. Ya know how long it's been since we had a good meal?" Merle said out loud.

Daryl slouched into the chair. "Hey, I cook!" 

Merle laughed. "Yeah, but this one will actually be good."

Daryl shot him the finger and threw a pillow at him. "Slave away all damn day in a kitchen and that's the thanks I get," he said sarcastically.

He and Merle both laughed. Daryl noticed that his brother looked relaxed right now and he wondered if that had to do with Beth being there. He knew her father wouldn't be too happy if he knew that she was in the Dixon's house cooking them food. He wondered what Merle was going to do about that. Surely the girl couldn't hang around all day without her family worrying about her?

Thinking of Beth led his thoughts to Carol. He figured that Ed was probably getting out of jail right about now. He tensed at the thought of the bastard hurting her again. Instinctively, he cracked his knuckles. He would wring the son of a bitch's neck if he beat her for this. He wouldn't feel bad about it either. He was frustrated beyond belief that she had insisted on handling it herself. If she had been with him that long and he was still beating her, he didn't see how that was _handling_ it.

"What's the matter?" Merle asked.

"Thinking about Carol. Ed gets released this morning. Since it's about lunch time he's probably already out," Daryl replied.

Merle wrinkled his forehead in thought. "If he's a wise man, he'll keep his fuckin' hands to himself. Ain't nothin' we can do about it though brother. Ain't got no claims on her."

Daryl didn't respond. He knew Merle was right. She was married and he couldn't just go barging over there and steal her away. He could only hope that if something bad _did_ happen, then she would get in touch with him somehow. All he could do was wait.

..............


	8. Chapter 8

**...**

Daryl didn't hear any more about Carol until that weekend. He had gotten off of work on Friday afternoon and gone over to the bar with Merle to chill out for a bit. They had finally been able to pay their rent. They were still behind, but not by much and the landlord said they could just add it on to next months total. Daryl was glad to have that out of the way. He didn't want to be living on the street. He had done it before and it wasn't something he cared to repeat.

He and Merle had decided to head over to the Hangover, get some food, and relax for a bit. Thankfully, Merle hadn't brought home any more girls that week. He had managed to stay out of trouble and had even worked a half day down at Hank's garage.

It felt good to have a little bit of money in their pockets for once. Normally, they had to pinch pennies down to the last cent, but this time was different. Daryl was in a great mood. His boss had informed him that morning that he wanted to see about hiring Daryl on full time. Apparently he was doing a good job. He had to go in early on Monday morning to fill out some paperwork and then he would hopefully have the position. Today was a good day all around.

He followed Merle inside the bar and Merle went off to talk to some guys he recognized. Daryl headed to the bar. He was really hungry and he wanted himself a nice juicy burger. He placed his order and leaned back on the stool to survey the crowd. It was pretty packed for so early on a Friday evening. Then again, it was a popular place for the locals to gather.

"Hey man, buy you a beer?" A voice beside him asked.

Daryl turned and then smiled. "Tyreese, what's good man?"

Tyreese sat down on an empty stool next to him. "I came to get a cold beer and some hot food. You?"

"Same. Minus the beer. Not a drinker," Daryl explained. The bartender placed his water on the bar and Daryl nodded his thanks.

"Give me whatever's coldest and," he turned to Daryl, "What's good here?"

"Loaded burgers pretty damn good. Greasy as hell, but what isn't?" 

"I'll have that then." Tyreese told the bartender.

"Make it two," Daryl said and the guy nodded before walking away.

Tyreese sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Heard you got hired on today. Congratulations, man."

"Thanks. I was kinda surprised."

"Why?" 

"I didn't think I was that good." Daryl shrugged. He knew that he did alright, but he still had a lot to learn. Roofing wasn't really his thing. If he had it his way, he would have his own bike shop. He loved to fix up bikes and make then shine. He thought about his bike, back behind the shed. It needed to have a new tire and brakes, but they hadn't had the money to fix it. He planned on seeing to that with his next paycheck. He missed his bike. Merle had a frame in the garage where he had started a custom bike, but he never got around to finishing it. One of these days, he was gonna come home and Daryl would have it fixed. He wondered briefly if that's what Merle was waiting on. It wouldn't surprise him none.

He and Tyreese sat in a companionable silence until their food arrived. The smell of the burger made Daryl's stomach growl and he eagerly tore into his food. Being outside all day worked up an appetite. Tyreese groaned his appreciation as he bit into his burger and Daryl smiled knowingly. Nobody could beat the loaded burger. It had a little bit of everything combined just right to hit the spot.

Tyreese had become a pretty good friend to Daryl this week. They usually spent the day on top of the roof tossing around jokes and bitching about random guy stuff. Daryl didn't have any close friends besides Merle. Most of the people he knew were druggies or alcoholics. He just didn't have the patience for that shit. Tyreese was a single man, much like himself, and they had a lot in common. Tyreese appreciated cars and loved bikes, although he didn't own one. Neither of them were very chatty and lots of times they just found themselves sitting there in silence on their breaks at work. It was still a little foreign to Daryl to have someone that he could genuinely call a friend. He had never had that.

He finished polishing off his burger and leaned back, satisfied. He took in the people around him and saw Merle having an intense conversation with some guy whose name he couldn't remember. Two girls sat down next to him and he saw Tyreese raise his eyebrows in approval at them. They weren't really Daryl's type, but he did give them a small smile as they glanced at them flirtatiously.

"We'll both take Margaritas," the brunette told the bartender. Her friend nodded in agreement. They began talking to each other and Daryl halfway listened to their conversation. His thoughts drifted to Carol. He wished she were here, but he knew she would never be caught in a place like this. She deserved to be taken somewhere nice.

"Peletier, I think." The brunette's voice cut into his thoughts and he shifted his attention.

He leaned forward. "Hey." They turned to him in surprise. "Did you just say Peletier?"

The brunette nodded. "Yeah, did you hear about that?" She exchanged a wide eyed glance with her friend.

Daryl swallowed the sudden fear that crept up his throat. "Hear what?" 

The blonde she was with leaned over. "That guy Ed Peletier beat his wife so bad he put her in the hospital. They say she's pretty messed up."

The brunette nodded and jumped in the conversation. "Yeah and now that psycho husband of hers is missing. They don't know where he is. It's totally creepy. I mean, he could be anywhere. What kind of man does that to his wife?"

Daryl felt sick. _Carol was in the hospital? How bad was messed up supposed to be? Did that mean she was dying or just badly bruised?_ Tyreese grabbed his arm as he jumped up from his bar stool.

"Hey, you okay man?" Tyreese asked.

Daryl barely heard him as he altered between rage and panic. He had to calm down. He barely knew Carol. He couldn't just go rushing up to the hospital and demand to see her.

"I know her," Daryl said.

"This guy's wife?" Tyreese asked. The two girl's were looking at them curiously. Daryl knew he had to get out of there. He looked around for Merle, but he didn't see him anywhere.

"I need to get to the hospital," Daryl said.

Tyreese stood up and gave him a worried look. "Hey man, why don't you let me drive you? You aren't looking too good."

Daryl nodded. He figured that was a good idea. If he drove himself right now, he was liable to hunt down that sick excuse of a man and kill him. He wouldn't do anybody much good in jail. He followed Tyreese out to his truck and figured he would catch up with Merle later. He wasn't going to waste time looking for him when Carol was lying in a hospital bed. He gnawed at the skin on his thumb nervously. It was a habit of his that he only did when he was nervous or deep in thought. He clenched his fists and willed himself to calm down as Tyreese drove. It wouldn't do anybody any good for him to go in there in a rage. Ed just better hope their paths didn't cross because he was liable to just finish what Merle had started and be damned the consequences.

...

Tyreese dropped Daryl off and left him at Daryl's insistence. He didn't really want any company and he didn't know quite how bad Carol was. He figured it best that he be by himself. He didn't have plans to leave anytime soon anyway.

He approached the nurse's station at the center of the large room and a petite brunette smiled up at him. "Can I help you sir?" 

"I'm looking for a friend of mine," Daryl said.

"Last name?" The woman's fingers flew over the keys as she began typing at a computer screen.

"Peletier. Don't know how you spell it though. Her first name's Carol." He wished that she would hurry up.

She gave him an encouraging smile and began searching through her computer. She clicked for a few minutes while Daryl shifted back and forth impatiently. Finally she wrote something down and handed it to him.

"She's in ICU on the third floor. You'll need this pass to get in. Only two visitors are allowed at a time so if there are already two in there, they won't let you in," she told him. She handed him a badge that he placed reluctantly on his shirt. He felt like it was the first day of school as she pointed him towards the bank of elevators.

Thankfully he got an elevator all to himself and he paced the small space as it crawled slowly up through the floors. Finally, it dinged and he strode out and found himself at a set of double doors and an intercom. _Damn place is locked down more than a prison._ He pushed the button and waited.

Finally a voice crackled through the speaker, "Can I help you?"

Daryl leaned close to the speaker and felt rather stupid talking to a box on the wall. "I'm here to see Carol Peletier."

"Are you a relative of hers?"

That woman didn't mention he had to be a relative to get in. He thought fast. "Yeah, I'm her brother."

The box was silent for a few moments and then the doors whirred to life and opened before him as if beckoning him on through. He strode through and a much bigger nurse greeted him from a desk.

"We didn't know Carol had a brother. I'm glad someone is visiting her, the poor dear. It's a shame really. She's the third door on the left. When I left her a few minutes ago, she was resting though so I don't know if she'll wake soon." The woman gave him a sympathetic smile.

Daryl nodded and walked down the hallway. Suddenly he was nervous about entering her room. _What if it was more than he could handle?_ He hadn't ever visited anyone in a hospital before. The nurse approached from behind him as he hovered at the door.

"It's okay hon. You can go in," she coaxed.

Daryl took a deep breath. "How bad is she?" 

The nurse's expression grew serious and she leaned in close to Daryl. "Between you and me? Son of a bitch did a real number on her. Beat her up good. She's got a couple of cracked ribs and a real bitch of a bruise on her cheek as well as multiple others. One of her fingernails is missing too. We don't know how she lost it though. She's in here because we're keeping her on suicide watch. The cops said she was talking about dying. We don't get much; we just know what we see and hear," she whispered.

Daryl nodded and put his hand on the knob. She grabbed his arm and leaned in again. "She's been real quiet. If I were you, I wouldn't focus on her injuries. I think she's feeling a little self-conscious. Someone should teach that so called husband of hers a lesson, you know?"

Daryl wasn't sure what she was implying, but if she was implying that he do it, then she had no idea what Daryl already had in mind for Ed. She let go of his arm and headed back to the nurse station. Daryl faced the door once again and twisted the knob.

...

His first reaction was that she didn't look too bad. Then she moved her head to the side in her sleep and he sucked in a breath at the large bruise on her cheek. Hands clenching once again, he slowly made his way over to the side of the bed. There were lots of monitors hooked up to her, but he didn't know what any of them meant. All he knew was that she was breathing, and right now that was good enough for him. He saw that they had a large bandage around her ribs and he remembered the nurse saying she had two cracked ones. He noticed a small bandage around her finger where the nail was missing.

He sucked in a deep breath and had to look away. He was a little pissed at her for not taking action sooner and letting him and Merle help her out. She had been determined to do it on her own and Daryl could understand that, but she hadn't. She had ended up in the hospital because of the bastard. He silently moved a chair over next to the bed and sat down wearily. He picked at the edge of her blanket, lost in his thoughts.

She shifted and he saw her eyes pop open. She stared around for a few minutes and then her gaze fell on him, and she gasped then winced from the pain in her ribs. Daryl stood up so that he could see her better. She regarded him silently for a few minutes.

"Hey. I was hoping we might meet again, but I had slightly different circumstances in mind," Daryl said softly.

Her mouth twitched but she remained expressionless. "I messed up." She whispered the words so softly that he had to bend down to hear her.

"What the fuck you mean _you_ messed up?" He scowled. She looked startled and he quickly toned it down a bit.

She looked away towards the wall before speaking again. "I thought I could win. I tried to leave, but he was stronger. He's always been stronger. I messed up and now look at me."

Daryl wanted to tear through the walls of the hospital and find the fucker. He would show him who was _stronger._ "It isn't your fault." 

She looked back at him with tears in her eyes. "It is because now he's gonna come for me and kill me. He thinks I have something going on with you and your brother. I've dragged you into this mess and I barely know you." Her voice broke on a sob.

Daryl felt his breathing quicken. He couldn't stand to see her like this. "He's disappeared. Probably left town if he's got any sense at all. And you don't have to worry about Merle and me. We can take care of Ed... _Gladly_." 

"I don't know what to do." 

Daryl eased himself down on the side of the bed carefully so that he didn't touch her ribs. "I do. You're coming home with me. Me and Merle's gonna look after you."

The tears slipped down her cheeks faster and she reached out and grabbed his hand softly. He glanced down in surprise at her small, delicate, hand holding his big, rough, one. He hadn't ever held a woman's hand before. Ever. He didn't even think Merle had held a woman's hand before. He let her thread her fingers through his and she calmed down some.

"I can't impose on the two of you," she said finally.

"Can you cook?" Daryl asked.

She looked at him quizzically. "Of course."

"Good. You can cook for us then. I'd gladly take any imposing as long as it's accompanied by a home cooked meal once in a while and I'm sure Merle would feel the same."

Carol's mouth twitched again. "You want me to cook for you?" 

"Damn straight. I'm tired of doing all the cooking." 

"You cook?" She asked with a surprised expression.

"I _heat_. I can use a microwave. Beyond that, I don't know a damn thing." He snorted and looked down at the bed.

"You poor dears. I guess I'll have to rescue you both then." He glanced up, not sure if he had heard her correctly and caught the ghost of a smile on her lips. He felt his own lips quirk up in response.

Just then they heard a loud commotion in the hallway and then Merle's voice carried through the door.

"I told ya she's my sister... You a pretty thing darlin', you must be the boss around here?" Merle's voice trailed off.

The nurse giggled. "I didn't think she had any more brothers. Are there more of you?" 

"Nah, we it. Am I free to go now sugar?" Daryl almost laughed at the voice full of charm. Merle had probably tried to charm the pants off of every nurse from the entrance to Carol's door. The doorknob turned and Merle slowly stuck his head in the door. As soon as he saw Daryl, he walked in and turned towards the bed. He saw that Carol was awake and he gave her a big smile.

"Hey lil' sister," Merle drawled.

Carol gave him a soft smile. "Hello again, Merle."

Merle glanced between the two of them and his eyes locked onto Carol who was still holding Daryl's hand. Daryl followed his gaze and quickly pulled his hand away. Merle grinned but didn't comment.

He walked over to the other side of her bed. "So, when they letting ya break outta this joint woman?" 

"I don't know," Carol said.

Daryl saw Merle's eyes lock onto the bruise on her cheek and Merle's jaw clenched. He turned and met his brother's gaze and Daryl could read that look well. Merle wanted to kill Ed too.

"I told her she was coming home with us," Daryl said.

Merle glanced at him and then back at Carol. He frowned softly. "Can ya cook darlin'?" 

Carol exchanged a slightly amused glance with Daryl who shrugged. They really were hurting for good food. The food Beth had cooked that day had been so good that they had stuffed themselves like they hadn't eaten in days. Beth had been pleased and Merle had showered her with compliments, despite smirking glances from Daryl.

"I can cook you anything you want," Carol replied.

Merle's eyes widened. "Marry me, Carol. I can show you things this lil' boy ain't ever dreamt of." Merle winked at her.

Carol started to laugh then stopped and her face turned a pale shade of white. Merle immediately looked guilty, but neither of them knew a way to help her. Daryl spoke up.

"I'll go see if I can get you something for pain." He left the room quickly, his heart thudding in his chest.

...

Merle watched as Carol's breathing finally slowed some and she relaxed a tiny bit. It pissed him off to see her lying there all beat up. He didn't know her that well, but he could tell his brother was developing a heavy thing for her. His brother wasn't one to form attachments and Merle wasn't gonna mess that up for him. He felt like he owed his brother.

"Should have castrated him while I had the chance," Merle muttered.

Carol opened her eyes to stare at him. "It wouldn't have done any good. He would have found me eventually. He still will and now I'm bringing you and Daryl into this."

Merle chuckled. "Don't you worry about me and lil' brother. We gonna take good care of ya. I'll find Ed and when I do, he'll be wishin' I _would_ castrate him." Merle's expression grew hard as he stared at the wall, momentarily lost in his thoughts.

She touched his hand lightly and he looked down in surprise. "Don't get yourself into trouble over me. He's not worth it."

He patted her hand softly. "Don't you worry about Merle darlin'. I got connections. You underestimate the power of a Dixon." He winked.

He knew exactly what he needed to do. He needed to look up some old contacts and see about locating Ed. Then he would go to him and have a nice little chat. Really scare the shit outta him. Merle smiled, Ed had no idea what was coming for him.

He patted Carol's hand again. "Just get you some rest darlin'. We gonna take care of everything."

.............


	9. Chapter 9

**...**

Carol was released from the hospital Monday morning and Daryl had to work so he couldn't be there when she left, but he had stayed with her most of the weekend. He had grumbled all morning about not being able to go and it was all Merle could do not to punch him. Sometimes his brother could be a bit of a whiner. He assured Daryl that Carol would be just fine, and that he would see that she arrived safely back at their place. That had been two hours ago, and he was still sitting in the lobby waiting on them to bring her down.

They wouldn't let him go up and wait with her because the nurses said that she would have a last checkup with the doctor before leaving, and she might need the privacy. So here he was, sitting in the damn lobby, twiddling his thumbs. At the rate this was going, Daryl would be off of work before she made it out and then he wouldn't miss it anyway. Merle stretched out his legs and crossed his arms behind his head. It was hard to get comfortable in the stiff backed chairs.

"Hi Merle. I hope you weren't waiting long?" Carol asked as the nurse pushed her up in a wheelchair.

Merle shook his head. No need for her to feel bad about him sitting out here. She had enough to worry about. He eyed the wheelchair curiously. He hoped like hell she wasn't going to need to be pushed around. Daryl hadn't said anything about a wheelchair. He didn't remember anything being wrong with her legs.

Carol followed his gaze. "It's just a precaution. The nurse said I had to ride in it until I was outside just in case I fell or something. So I couldn't sue them later." Carol cracked a smile.

The nurse came back over from the front desk where she had stopped at momentarily. She handed some papers to Merle who looked at them questioningly.

"These are her discharge papers. They have everything you need to know about caring for her at home. I assume you'll be taking care of her?" The nurse asked.

Merle just stared at her dumbly for a few moments. "Uh, yeah. Me and my brother." 

The nurse nodded and bent to speak to Carol a few more moments while Merle walked ahead to open the door to the truck. The nurse pushed Carol over and eyed it disdainfully until Merle shot her a glare. She helped Carol up and then turned and strode off leaving Merle responsible for her now.

He lifted her gently into the passenger side of the truck before she could protest. He grabbed her one bag and slung it into the back.

"Careful! I have breakables in there!" Carol cried.

Merle grumbled under his breath and shut the door. The drive home was long and silent. Silent, except for the winces coming from Carol every few moments when the truck would hit a bump and it would jar her ribs. Merle tried to avoid it, but the roads were full of potholes. The old truck didn't absorb much of the impact either. Still, she didn't complain aside from the winces. He sighed in relief as they finally pulled up in the driveway of the house. He ran around to the other side of the truck and lifted her out again. He went to the door, unlocked it, and grabbed her bag all before she made it halfway to the door.

He wasn't sure what to do so he just waited and she finally made it to the door and stepped inside. She glanced around curiously and he realized that this was her first time in their house. He figured she probably had a fancy house, but this was home to him and his brother so it would have to do. He expected some remark about the tidiness of the place, but she turned to him and smiled.

"Thank you again for letting me stay for a bit. I know it must be weird having a female around, but I promise to stay out of your way." 

Merle shrugged. He set her stuff in Daryl's room and came back out. "Daryl says he'll take the couch so you can have a bed to sleep in."

"No, I couldn't take his room. I'm fine on the couch." 

Merle snorted. "Ya say that now, but that bitch is hard as a rock. The bed's much better."

He watched her make her way to the doorway of Daryl's bedroom and look around. She turned back to him a few minutes later. "I think I might take a nap if it's okay with you? I should be up in time to cook some dinner." 

Merle scoffed. "Ya ain't got to cook any dinner on the first night. Take your nap, I'll be around."

She gave him a small smile and closed the door to Daryl's bedroom softly. Merle sighed and settled down in his favorite chair in the living room to watch some TV. He flipped through the few channels that the antenna picked up before switching it back off. He glanced at the clock and saw that there were still a few hours left before Daryl would get home. He got up and stopped by Daryl's room to listen at the door. He didn't hear anything so he slipped out the back and headed for the garage. He stopped at the entrance and eyed his bike sitting there unfinished. He shrugged and switched on the stereo to full blast. Loud rock music came blaring out and he smiled as it soothed his nerves a bit. He headed over to the bike and got down to work.

...

Daryl tried to hand Tyreese some money for gas as they pulled up into his driveway after work but Tyreese pushed it away.

"Nah, man. Keep your money. I might need a favor one day," Tyreese said.

"You sure?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah. Go see about your new woman in there. I know you're dying to see her. I'm the one who's had to listen to you talk about it all damn day," Tyreese said with a grin.

Daryl punched him playfully on the arm as he put his money away. "She's not my woman. And I haven't talked about her _all_ day."

Tyreese laughed. "If you say so. Catch you later man." Daryl waved as he backed out the drive.

He _had_ been in a hurry to get home, he realized. He had been thinking about Carol being in their house all day, wondering how she was getting settled in. Spending time with her at the hospital over the weekend had made them a little more comfortable around each other. She had seemed much happier now that Ed had disappeared. He hoped Merle was at least being decent around her. He would kick his ass if he found out he wasn't. He opened the door to a quiet house. Frowning, he walked into the loving room and then into the kitchen, finding them both empty. He stopped at his bedroom door and opened it without thinking. He did a double take as he saw Carol's figure curled up on his bed.

_His bed._

He stood there for a few minutes, taking in the sight of her reddish brown curls spread out across his pillow. He was struck dumb by the sight. He had never had a woman in his bed, _ever._ He grabbed up a blanket from the end of his bed and draped it across her gently. He eased out of the room and closed the door back softly. He headed for the garage after finding Merle's room empty as well. Sure enough, as soon as he set foot outside, he heard the sounds of rock music pouring from the old stereo they had set up in the garage.

He was surprised to find Merle working on his bike. He hadn't seen him mess with it in a long time. He turned down the radio.

"What the hell! That's some good shit right there, turn it back up!" Merle yelled.

Daryl ignored him and walked around to where Merle was tinkering with the carburetor. "Well?" He asked impatiently.

"Well, what?" Merle grumbled, clearly annoyed that Daryl hadn't turned the music back up.

"How did it go?"

Merle shrugged. "Went alright, I reckon. Had to wait damn near all day before they let her outta that damn place. Came here, said she was tired, went to take a nap. End of story. Oh, she tried to say she'd cook for us later, but I told her it wasn't gonna happen."

Daryl frowned. He hoped she didn't think she had to go to work around here right away. He and his brother had survived this long on greasy food, another week or so wouldn't kill them.

"Heard anything about Ed?" Daryl asked.

Merle grunted. "Hmph. Ain't been no where to hear anythin' about him brother. Planning on makin' a stroll down to Hangover later and seein' what's up. Why don't we take our newest roomie and have a nice family dinner?" Merle grinned.

"Yeah, that's classy. We'll take her to that dump with all them pigs that hang around there?" Daryl griped. He wasn't sure about taking Carol out on her first night. He was figuring they would just order a pizza or something and take it easy.

Merle shrugged. "Whatever man. Just a thought. I'm goin' though just so you know."

Daryl nodded. "Fine. Don't be out late though. I need you sticking around close to here tomorrow because I gotta work."

"I don't need a babysitter," Carol's voice spoke out from behind them. Daryl whipped around and Merle popped his head on the handlebars of the bike as he looked up.

"Goddammit!" Merle shouted.

Carol winced, "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."

Merle merely grunted in reply as he rubbed his head. Daryl eyed her as she stood there, seeming out of place. It was a little awkward having someone else around and it would definitely take some getting used to.

"Merle don't mind sticking around, do you Merle?" Daryl asked with a glare in his direction.

"Sure thing lil' brother. It's not like I have a life or anything." 

Daryl wanted to kick him in his nuts, but he refrained because Carol was standing there.

"You hungry?" He asked her.

"Oh! Did you want me to make something?" She asked.

Daryl frowned. "Hell no. I was thinking about ordering pizza and staying in. You're cooking on your first night. Ain't right."

She blushed a little. "I don't mind." 

He noticed Merle was watching their interaction with interest. He shot him the finger behind his back and nodded towards the house. "I'm gonna go shower. Think about what you like on your pizza and we'll order it when I get out." 

She nodded, "Okay."

He shot another glare at Merle before disappearing inside. This was _definitely_ going to take some getting used to.

...

When Daryl stepped out of the shower ten minutes later, he found Carol sitting in the living room alone. A quick glance out the window confirmed his suspicions. The truck was gone. He cursed silently to himself. Leave it to Merle to take off at the first opportunity. How in the hell was he supposed to get pizza with no truck and no phone? Carol glanced up at him as he walked in front of the couch. He was suddenly nervous about being alone with her here.

"Did Merle say anything to you before he left?" Daryl asked.

"He just said that he would be back later tonight and not to wait up." 

Daryl sighed in frustration and chewed on his thumb distractedly. "I guess that screws up dinner." 

"The diner a few blocks over is pretty good. We could walk," she suggested.

He glanced at her. "What about your ribs?"

She shrugged. "Walking won't hurt them I don't think. They gave me pains meds so I should be fine."

He didn't really want her to have to walk that far but he wasn't letting her cook anything either. He supposed that would have to work. It wasn't like they had too many options. "Alright." 

She stood up carefully and gave him a grin, "Ready when you are."

Daryl groaned to himself as she smiled at him. This was going to be pure torture for him to have her here, he just knew it. She already had an effect on him just by smiling at him. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ready as I'll ever be," he muttered.

..............


	10. Chapter 10

**...**

They walked the few blocks over to the diner in silence. The night air felt cool against her skin and she was feeling more relaxed now than she had in a long time. She was finding out that Daryl was a man of few words unless provoked. That was okay with her because she wasn't the type of person who felt they had to fill every silence with talking.

Her ribs were feeling moderately better. She was trying to avoid taking the pain medicine unless she absolutely had to because she wasn't a fan of medicine as it tended to make her groggy. She still had lots of bruises on her face where Ed had hit her. It was a constant reminder of her battle every time she glanced into a mirror. At least she was away from him now, although it worried her that no one knew where he was. Hopefully, he had disappeared to avoid being arrested but she had a nagging feeling that he was still lurking and waiting. She shivered and tried to shake away the thoughts of Ed.

She sneaked a glance at Daryl and saw that he was frowning slightly. "Is everything okay?" 

He glanced at her and the frown went away. "Just mad at Merle for taking the truck and makin' us walk."

She smiled softly. He was so thoughtful. He had stayed all day at the hospital with her over the weekend. He had made sure she had plenty to drink and that she was always comfortable. It was a new sensation for her, having a man worry about her comfort. Ed surely hadn't ever worried about it. She was really enjoying her time with Daryl and even Merle. Merle wasn't as bad as people made him out to be. She could see that underneath all his tough exterior, there was a totally different man there.

She didn't plan on staying with them too long though. She hoped to find her own place and be able to live on her own. She didn't want to impose on them any more than she had too. They approached the diner and Daryl held the door open for her awkwardly.

"Thank you," she said.

He simply nodded his head at her in response and they sat down in a booth near the back. It wasn't too crowded. Most of the diners that usually frequented there had already been and gone. A waitress, whose name tag said Jo, walked up to them after they got situated.

"Hey there, what can I get for you?" She asked.

"I'll have root beer," Carol replied.

Daryl nodded. "The same."

As Jo walked away to fill their drink order, she noticed Daryl giving her a weird look.

"What's wrong?" 

He smiled lightly. "Just don't know many women who drink root beer anymore."

"Oh? Do you know many women?" She teased.

His face blushed a deep red and he coughed. "A few," he grumbled.

She laughed slightly and then winced as the vibration jarred her ribs. He leaned back against the booth. "So you wanna tell me how this happened?" 

She took a deep breath and then paused when the waitress returned with their drinks. "Ready to order?"

Carol looked at Daryl who gestured for her to go ahead. "I'll have a burger, fries, and a slice of the apple pie."  She hadn't realized how hungry she was, and she had slept through lunch.

Daryl raised his eyebrows at her. "The same."

The waitress eyed them for a minute and then smirked and took their menus away. Daryl watched her leave and then focused his attention back on Carol.

Carol supposed that was her cue. She played with the paper wrapper of her straw while she thought about where to begin.

"Well, I had thought a lot about what you said you know, about leaving? I had been thinking about it for some time anyway. I was just scared. I haven't ever really lived on my own before. When Ed and I got married, I was living with my parents. I had plans to go to college, but love blindsided me. Or at least, I thought it was love at the time. Anyway, I'm getting off topic here... I had finally worked up the courage and convinced myself it was time. I had packed a bag and I was going to find a motel on the outskirts of town to get a room in. Everything was going perfectly until I opened the door to leave and Ed was standing on the porch. Apparently, he had left work early, on account he wasn't feeling well he said. I tried to hide the bag in my hand, but he had seen it. Before I could run, he pushed me back into the house." She paused to take a sip of her drink as the waitress set their food down. They thanked her, but Daryl didn't touch his food as he waited on her to continue. "He told me that he knew I was fucking you and your brother both. He had witnesses he said. He said if I thought I was leaving him for a _Dixon_ , then I had another thing coming. He chased me through the house, knocking things off shelves and throwing me into walls. I fell and he just started kicking me. It hurt so bad, but he just wouldn't stop. I thought that was it, that I was going to die. He kept screaming obscene things at me and I don't quite remember how it happened. I had crawled back towards the wall and the rug that we keep by the bed had gotten bunched up. Must have been my guardian angel," Carol smiled slightly. "He tripped and crashed into the bedside table. I saw my chance and took off down the hallway. I made it outside and got my neighbor's attention who then called the cops, and you know the rest." She finished her story and just sat there numbly.

She realized how pitiful it all sounded. Her life was a Lifetime movie. She felt the tears start to well up in her eyes and she quickly dashed them away with her napkin. Daryl sat silently across from her, looking down at his hands that were clenched into fists around his now shredded napkin.

"Great plan, huh? I was so stupid," she muttered.

Daryl's head shot up and he leaned across the table suddenly. "You aren't stupid! That took a lot of guts. Look at you. You made it out, didn't you?" 

Carol looked at him and realized that he was right. She _had_ made it out. She was finally away from Ed. Just knowing that she wouldn't have to sleep next to him and worry about him groping her anymore was a relief. She would gladly sleep on the Dixon's hard ass couch every day for the rest of her life if she never had to go back to that. She smiled at Daryl and reached across to touch his hand. He twitched slightly and she pulled her hand back.

He cleared his throat. "Well, we better eat up. Getting late." 

She nodded and dug into her food eagerly.

...

Merle downed another shot of liquor, courtesy of a cute redhead at the end of the bar. He hadn't had to spend much of his own money on alcohol. There seemed to be a lot of women willing to do it for him tonight. Suited him just fine, he would drink it as long as they sent it. He knew he was way over the legal limit to drive though, so that might be a problem. The bar was crowded and Merle had been keeping an ear out for any word about Ed, but so far he hadn't heard a thing.

He wondered where the damn bastard had disappeared to. It wasn't like he was all that smart. He wasn't all that easy to hide either, fat as he was. Either Carol had been a really good cook, or Ed had eaten out an awful lot, because Merle didn't remember Ed always being that fat. He scowled. He really couldn't stand the guy.

Someone bumped his shoulder as they made their way to the bar. A group of college aged kids had strolled in and were making rounds. The guy shot Merle a dirty look and Merle was off of his barstool in seconds, glaring at him.

"Ya got somethin' to say, college boy? Cause if not, then I suggest you keep on movin'." Merle growled.

The guy held his hands up in a defensive gesture as he took in Merle's much larger build than him. Merle smirked as the guy slunk back in with his crowd. He sat back down and signaled Red to order another shot of liquor.

"I think you've had enough Merle. I'm cutting you off for the night. Let me call you a ride," Red said.

Merle scowled. "Ain't got no damn phone." 

"That's okay. We've got designated driver's on standby," Red explained as he picked up the phone.

"Designated drivers? What the hell is that?" Merle laughed. "Ya expect me to ride with some poor sap who ain't got nothin' better to do than drive drunks home at night?"

Red narrowed his eyes at him. "Shouldn't be long now. Don't go anywhere." He wiped his hands on a bar towel and walked off to serve another patron.

Merle sat there sullenly. He felt fine to drive. Hell he _should_ drive. He didn't need a little punk trying to take him home. He couldn't just leave the truck here. Red was out of his mind. He was going home. And he was just _fine._ He stood up and cursed as the room tilted a bit. He bit his lip in determination and headed for the door despite Red calling his name to stop. He let out a sigh of relief as the cool night air washed over him. The bar was hot when it was crowded. He was almost to his truck when he felt an arm on his shoulder.

He spun around thinking it was college boy thirsty for more and quickly pinned the guy to the truck. Except it wasn't college boy. It was a blonde haired beauty staring back at him with eyes as blue as the ocean. He grinned drunkenly then.

"How ya doin' darlin'? Is you my guardian angel?" He slurred.

She smiled at him. "No. I'm your safe ride. I'm here to drive you home."

Merle's grin grew wider. "Whatever ya say sugar. You can drive me anywhere you please." 

He saw the faint blush break out on her face. She grabbed his arm and tugged. She was surprisingly stronger than she looked. She walked him over to her car and he sat down rather heavily into the passenger seat. She shut the door and climbed inside to start the car.

Merle squinted as if just realizing he was in her car. "How's the car doin'?"

"It's been running great since you fixed it. I can't think you enough Merle." She smiled sweetly at him as she turned out of the parking lot.

"I can think of other ways ya can think me darlin'." 

He knew he was being an ass but he was feeling so drunk and lightheaded that he couldn't quite control his mouth. He kept grinning like an idiot and he didn't know why.

She didn't respond to his last prompt and he laid his head back on the headrest. He didn't know why she kept turning up in the oddest places. She really was like his guardian angel. Merle had never even considered himself lucky before, but tonight he felt lucky. He was sitting next to the prettiest little thing he had ever seen. He felt himself smiling like an idiot again right before he passed out in her passenger seat.

...

Daryl watched as Carol finished off the rest of her apple pie like it was her last meal. She scraped every last bit off of her plate and then sat back with a contented sigh. He was impressed. She sure could pack away the food for such a tiny woman. He had finished all of his as well, but he needed lots of food to fuel his body. Daryl paid the check despite her complaints, but she didn't have any money on her and Daryl wasn't about to let her pay anyhow. They were headed out the door when a group of men sitting at a booth by the door got her attention. He noticed her tense up and instantly his guard went up. One of the men reached out a hand and grabbed Carol's wrist as she passed by.

"Cheatin' on Ed there girl? Ain't you got any respect not to go flaunting yourself all over town?" The man sneered.

Carol cringed and Daryl had her behind him in seconds. He grabbed the man's hand and gripped it tightly between his fingers so hard the man began to wince. Daryl leaned in close to the man as if they were merely having a friendly conversation.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you were insinuating that she's a whore. _If_ that's what you're indeed thinking, then I hope to God you're a religious man, cause you better start prayin'." Daryl growled.

The man shook his head and Daryl eased up on his hand. The man snatched it back from Daryl's grip and began to rub it. "I didn't mean nothin' by it," the man muttered.

"Apologize," Daryl ordered.

The man scoffed and Daryl grabbed his hand again, squeezing just right so that it would sting. "I'm sorry, dammit!" The man hissed.

Daryl dropped his hand. "It isn't the best I've ever heard, but I reckon it will do. Come on Carol, let's go home."

He followed her out of the door, leaving the other diners staring after them open-mouthed. If Daryl had learned anything at all from Merle, it was not to put up with anybody's bullshit. And if Carol hung around the Dixon's long enough, she wouldn't either.

...........


	11. Chapter 11

**...**

Daryl and Carol rounded the corner to the house only to see a small blonde figure grunting and spouting off some words that could almost pass for curses. _Almost._ Daryl raised a brow as he took in the scene. He heard a male grunt and sighed as recognition sunk in. That was most definitely Merle. He must have went and got himself drunk on Carol's first night. The bastard was gonna scare her off.

"Beth?" Daryl called out as he and Carol walked closer.

The girl turned around from where she had a firm grip on Merle's arm and to her credit she almost had him out of the car. The fact that she had even made it this far was nothing short of amazing. Daryl knew how solid Merle was from experience.

"Oh thank goodness, Daryl! He's so heavy! I thought I was going to be here all night," Beth said breathlessly.

Daryl rushed over to help her as Merle started to slide out of the passenger seat. He figured he should just let his ass fall on the ground, but he didn't. As much as his brother pissed him off he couldn't leave him out here on the ground all night. He sneaked a glance at Carol to find her standing there curiously. He was embarrassed at the situation, but there wasn't much he could do about it. This was his life, for better or for worse, and Merle was his brother. You didn't get to pick your family, although sometimes he would have liked to.

With Beth's surprisingly strong help, he managed to get a shoulder under Merle's arm and lean him up against the car. He used a hand to hold him up as he caught his breath. Merle was heavy, but not from fat. He was heavy from muscle and Daryl knew from previous experience how much of a bitch it was to try to move him drunk. He was dead weight. He considered his options for a moment. He could probably manage to get him to the door with Beth's help. He wished Carol was inside somewhere where she didn't have to see this though.

To his surprise Carol walked up to Merle and slapped him right on the face. He and Beth gaped at her in total shock and Merle began to mumble and move. Daryl was pretty sure Carol had flipped. He had finally figured out what her flaw was. She was crazy. He and Beth stood there dumbfounded for several moments. She looked over at him and he thought she blushed.

"I'm sorry. I just…Ed's been this way before and I know that if I slap him he'll wake up. I didn't want you to have to struggle. Do you think he's going to be mad at me?" Suddenly she looked terrified that Merle might retaliate and he realized she must not have thought that through before acting.

He chuckled. "Don't worry about Merle. He would never hit a woman."

Merle opened his eyes and squinted at them. "What the bloody hell's goin' on here?" He absentmindedly rubbed his cheek and Daryl heard Beth snicker. It must have caught Merle's attention because he seemed to sober up some and he peered down at her and groaned. "How'd you get here darlin'?" 

Beth smiled prettily at him. "I brought you home. You were too drunk to drive so Red called me. I volunteer for the Safe Ride Home program."

Merle seemed to contemplate this for a second. " _You_ pick up drunk men an' take them home? You know how _stupid_ that is?" 

Beth put her hands on her hips and stood directly in front of Merle so that she was staring him in the face. "I think you underestimate me, Merle Dixon. I can take care of myself just fine. I've taken self defense classes and if I wanted to, I could kick your sorry butt!" She retorted.

Daryl watched as Merle regarded her intently for a few minutes and then he smiled drunkenly. "Well then darlin', maybe I'll just have to test ya on that one day." He chuckled.

Daryl reached out a hand to steady him as he swayed and Merle seemed to notice he was there for the first time. "Hey lil' brother, when'd you get here?" 

"Been here Merle. Trying to help Beth get your sorry ass in the house. Think you can walk?"

Merle brushed his hand away. "I can do better than that brother, can skip if you want me to." He laughed.

Carol walked over to him and turned his face towards hers gently. "You stop that, Merle. You need to get yourself together and march right into that house and go to bed. You sleep this off and you'll feel much better in the morning." 

Daryl wasn't sure where her courage was coming from, but he was enjoying seeing her stand up a bit. He looked closely and he could see her shaking slightly. She was still scared, but he didn't step in. She needed to do this on her own.

Merle tried to focus on her face and he stared at her for a long time before replying. "Alright. If blondie here will help me, I'll go lay my ass down." 

He stood up straight as Beth grabbed hold of his arm and together they made their way to the door. Merle was wobbling, but doing surprisingly well considering.

Daryl shook his head as he stared off after them. He turned to Carol. "Not many people stand up to Merle like that." 

She crossed her arms around her and looked towards the house where they had just disappeared inside. "You know as weird as it sounds I'm not scared of him. I think it's all an act if you ask me. He's got a lot of anger and hurt buried in him, but he's harmless." 

Daryl smirked. _Merle, hurting?_ _That was absurd. Merle didn't hurt. Did he?_

….

When Merle woke up the next morning, his head was pounding and he winced as he felt the effects of his hangover. He realized he was still fully dressed as he rolled up to sit on the edge of the bed and he struggled to recall the events from last night. The smell of food wafted under his door and his stomach growled. He sniffed again. Food? That couldn't be right. He didn't think anyone had ever cooked in this house except for that one time when Beth had.

At the thought of her, his memory perked up and he remembered vaguely seeing her last night. He wasn't sure what had happened though. He groaned and rubbed his head. If he was this hung over, then there was no telling what kind of shithead things he might have done. Hell, he had probably scared the girl off. It would probably be for the best anyhow. He was too messed up to be around a girl as pure as she was.

He exited his bedroom and followed the enticing aromas to the kitchen. Carol was placing food onto a plate and as he walked in, she turned and gave him a smile. She pointed to the bar stool and he sat without thinking. She placed a plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes in front of him. Then she poured him a glass of milk and handed him two Tylenol. Dear God, he had died and gone to Heaven.

"Take these," she directed.

He raised a brow at her but didn't comment as he swallowed the Tylenol gratefully. She turned to walk away and he grabbed her wrist lightly. He felt her tense and he watched as she took a deep breath and then relaxed again.

"Ya sure ya don't wanna get married?" He grinned cheekily.

She giggled softly and he thought it was the cutest sound he had heard in a while. "I'm _already_ married." 

Merle dug into his food as she walked to the other side of the bar. "Hmm…soon to be widowed," he replied around a mouthful of bacon. He winked at her.

She began cleaning up the kitchen and he almost moaned as he devoured the food. Damn, but the woman _could_ cook.

"You don't need to do that darlin'. Daryl can get it later." 

She continued wiping down the counters until they gleamed in the light. "You shouldn't save it for Daryl and besides I don't mind," she said. "I've got to earn my keep somehow."

Merle frowned. "Where is my brother? He go to work?"

Carol nodded. "Left early this morning."

Merle grunted as he finished his food and downed the milk. He wasn't a fan of milk but he didn't want to hurt her feelings so he chugged it down anyway. He pushed his plate away and sat there thinking.

"Was blondie here last night?" 

Carol nodded. "She sure was. She brought you inside and put you to bed."

"Beth? Lil' blonde girl about yay high?" Merle demonstrated her height with his hand.

Carol snickered, "That's the one."

Merle groaned. "Damn. Was hopin' I dreamt it."

"She likes you," Carol stated as she picked up his empty plate and glass to wash.

"Hmph," Merle said. "I'm goin' out to the garage. Ya need anything just give a holler."

The whole conversation was making him uncomfortable. He was scared to ask for any details, afraid that he had done something really bad. She had carried him to bed? What if he had tried to put the moves on her? He cursed himself and stalked out to the garage. Despite his headache, he cranked the radio up and set to work on the bike, hoping to drown out the sound of his own thoughts.

….

Carol watched as Merle disappeared into the garage. In only the short amount of time she had known him, she could tell that he was troubled. He was obviously struggling with his own inner demons and she wanted to reach out to him. She knew that he would resist though so she figured she would just bide her time until they got to know each other better. She loved to help people, loved making them feel good.

Ed used to tease her about it. He would call her all sorts of names and laugh at her for being so tenderhearted and caring. Ed had used any opportunity available to put her down and make her feel bad. She couldn't help it though, it was a part of who she was. She saw a lot of the same demons in Daryl that she saw in Merle, but not to the same degree. Daryl was a little harder to figure out to her for some reason. Maybe it was because she had been around men like Merle all her life that she could read him easier. Knowing Merle, he would probably freak out if she told him that. She smiled to herself as she walked around the house straightening and picking up random things.

Daryl kept a lot hidden down deep and he rarely brought it to the surface. He was extremely guarded though but she was really starting to like him. She wished she could have married someone like him instead of Ed. She sighed as she sat down on the couch and propped her feet up. It depressed her to think about how much Ed had ruined her life. The pain in her ribs was beginning to subside somewhat thanks to the pain pill she had taken before Merle had got up. She knew she was overdoing it, but she had to keep busy. Her thoughts drifted to Daryl and his rare smile once more before her eyes fluttered slowly closed.

.............


	12. Chapter 12

**...**

Daryl was tired. All he wanted was a hot shower and a good meal...not necessarily in that order. It had been a long, hot, day and he felt like he couldn't get enough water to stay hydrated. Working on a roof was hard work, but physically it was worth it. He was definitely building more muscle carrying stacks of shingles up a ladder. It wasn't his dream job by any means, but at least it helped pay the bills. He slowed the truck to turn into the driveway. He headed inside, eager to see Carol, but again he was treated to a quiet house as he opened the door.

He started to walk past the couch and then stopped. There she was, sitting on the couch with her feet propped up on the table sleeping. It seemed to be becoming an everyday thing to come home to a sleeping Carol. He smirked as he stared at her mouth that was open slightly. She had her head tilted back on the couch and her neck was stretched out before him. He could still see the bruises marring her skin there and it made him angry to think about that bastard of a husband putting his hands on her. She shifted in her sleep and her eyes opened, locking on his. He was embarrassed having been caught staring at her so he just stood there frozen until she spoke.

She lifted her head up and wiped at her mouth self consciously. "Um, hey." 

He shifted and then went to sit and take off his boots. "Hey."

She curled her legs under her on the couch and watched him for a few minutes. "How was work?"

He set one of his boots to the side and went to work on the other as he thought about that. Nobody had ever asked him that question before. "Hot."

She smiled at him and he found himself smiling slightly in return. Her face looked so relaxed when she smiled and he wished she would do it more. He peeled off his socks and stood up.

"Merle up?" 

She nodded. "He's in the garage working on his bike I think."

Daryl was surprised. He hadn't expected Merle to be up and in the garage considering his long night last night. Maybe Merle was trying to do better. He didn't put too much hope in that thought though, Merle had tried to do better lots of times but he always failed. Daryl shifted now, unsure of what else he was supposed to say.

"Well, uh, I'm going to go shower. So if you need me that's where I'll be." 

"So I should go in there if I have a question?" 

Daryl paused. Carol in the bathroom with him? He swallowed over a sudden dry throat. As he thought about what she probably looked like naked, he almost groaned out loud. He was a little panicked at the thought of a woman seeing him naked and it must have showed on his face because she laughed.

"Daryl, I'm just teasing you. I would never do that." 

Daryl let out a deep relieved breath. "Right. I knew that," he mumbled and went off to take a _cold_ shower.

...

It was still too early for dinner so Carol ventured out to the garage where Merle was stretched out next to his bike, talking to himself. She stood there a minute listening to him before making her presence known.

"Come on ya piece of shit! Get in there!" She crossed over to a bucket and sat quietly on it while he continued. "Gettin' drunk and runnin' her off... what a dickhead move." 

She stifled her laughter with her hand. Maybe she should have come out here earlier. This was better than TV. He sat up then as he finally realized he had company. She gave him a wave from her perch on the bucket.

He frowned. "Somethin' the matter?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Just coming to watch you work if that's okay?"

He shrugged. "Don't suppose it's a problem. Ain't much to watch though. Just tinkering with it a bit."

She stood up and walked over to squat next to the bike, then winced as her ribs protested the movement. Merle stood up and cursed.

"Fuck woman! Sit your ass down! Don't you got any sense at all?" He grabbed her arm and ushered her back to the bucket. "Don't you get up either."

She bit back a smile as she rubbed her aching ribs. "You're so sweet Merle."

Merle dropped his wrench on his foot and whipped back around to her. " _Sweet?_ I ain't fuckin' sweet!" He scowled. "You don't know nothin'! Ain't never been sweet in my life, darlin'. Damn near give me a heart attack with that shit," he muttered as he went to wipe his oily hands on a shop rag.

She smiled. Who knew that Merle Dixon could be so _adorable_ sometimes? She figured she might should keep that description to herself though. Clearly, he was concerned about his tough guy image. She snickered and he frowned at her.

"You takin' this whole situation better than I thought," he commented as he leaned down to tighten something on the bike.

"What situation?" 

He snorted. "Your sad excuse fer a husband there darlin'. Or did you forget about him already?"

Carol fidgeted with her hands. Actually she _hadn't_ forgotten about Ed. She was just trying her best to hide it from everyone. Over the years she had gotten quite good at hiding her emotions from others. Ed didn't tolerate cry babies. She looked at the place where her wedding band had been. What a joke. She had taken if off while she was in the hospital. She didn't need that constant reminder of the biggest mistake of her life.

She sighed. "Who can forget about Ed? Though God knows, I've tried enough times. Can I tell you something Merle?" She heard the silence as the wrench stopped. He didn't look up, but she knew he was waiting on her to continue. "I'm scared," she whispered. "I'm scared to death he's going to find me and he's going to kill me." She looked down at her shaking hands and she pressed them together to calm herself.

She heard his soft footsteps and then saw his boots stop just under her line of vision. He put one finger under her chin and tipped her face up to his. His face was grim and his eyes were like steel. "Don't ya worry your pretty little head about Ed. You let me and Daryl here handle it, okay?" She nodded. "I'm a lot of things darlin', and I don't claim to be no saint, but I can't stand a man that puts his hands on a fuckin' woman," he growled.

Carol sniffed as she fought back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. "I don't want either of you to get hurt. He might do something stupid."

Merle smiled, but there was no trace of happiness in his smile. It was cold and unforgiving. "Ain't nobody out there that can hurt a Dixon darlin'. Ya don't have to worry about us."

...

Daryl watched from a few feet away as Merle spoke intently to Carol. He could see her wipe at her eyes. _Fuck, was she crying?_ He balled up his fists. He was going to tear Merle a new one for making her cry, but as soon as he walked up and Carol turned to him he couldn't. She didn't look like she was upset at Merle and she quickly wiped her eyes again and offered him a small smile. Merle didn't look at him and instead turned and walked back over to his bike. Which left him standing there with Carol alone. _Again._

"You alright?" He asked carefully while casting a glance back at Merle.

She followed his gaze and then she stood up from the bucket she had been sitting on. "It's not Merle. He was just reassuring me of some things. I'm okay now though."

"You should know I ain't done nothin' to that girl brother." Merle called from the floor by the bike.

Daryl ignored him and turned back to Carol. She stared at him intently and it made him nervous. _Why was he always nervous around her?_   "Hey I was going to take a ride. Thought you might wanna get out for a bit." He suddenly felt stupid for asking, especially with his brother within hearing. He knew he would get crap about this later.

Carol grinned at him. "Sure! Where we going?" 

"There's a place I like to go to sometimes and I thought I would show it to you." He sneaked another glance at Merle but Merle didn't appear to be paying them any attention as they started walking towards the truck. "Be back in a bit Merle!" He yelled. Merle shot up his middle finger from behind the bike to indicate he had heard and they continued walking.

"It sounds exciting!" 

Daryl shrugged. "Eh, it's nothing special."

Carol just smiled, but didn't reply.

...

They pulled up to the small quarry some time later and Daryl took a deep breath of the fresh air as he climbed out of the truck. He liked to come here sometimes and just get away. He and Merle had discovered the place a few years ago while on a hunting trip and to their surprise, they had never seen anyone here in all the times they had come. He had figured a place like this would be a local hot spot, but it seemed fairly undiscovered. He was a little wary showing off his place to Carol. He didn't want her to think he was stupid for coming out to enjoy nature. He finally snuck a glance in her direction and saw that she looked surprisingly excited.

"Wow," she breathed. "It's gorgeous Daryl."

He smiled slightly and they walked around to the front of the truck. He had had to drive real slow to make it here because there wasn't an actual _road_ leading to the place. He knew it had probably been painful for her but she had endured it like a champ. She wasn't like any of the women he was used to.

"Can we go down closer?" She asked. He hesitated. It was a fairly steep trek down to the water's edge. He wasn't sure that her ribs could take it. "My ribs are fine." 

Daryl sighed. "Alright."

He stepped down and made himself a foothold with his boots and then turned to her. He suddenly realized that he would have to hold onto her in order for her to make it down. If a person wasn't careful, they could lose their footing and go sliding down the steep hill. She held out her hand and he swallowed and grabbed ahold of it. It felt light and foreign to be holding a woman's hand. They began a slow pace down the hill, with her stepping into the places his boots had just vacated. His hands were sweaty by the time they got to the bottom and he made sure she was steady before releasing her hand.

She turned in place, taking it all in. "How did you ever find this place?"

"Me and Merle stumbled on it one weekend when we were out hunting." 

She walked down to the water and using her feet, slipped her sneakers off. She bent carefully to pull off her socks and then she waded into the water. Daryl stood there, not knowing what he should do. He could have stayed there all day watching her.

She turned to him and grinned. "Come on! It's great!"

He scoffed. "I got on pants." He tried to wave her away, but she walked out of the water and grabbed his hand.

"Please?" She pouted.

He rolled his eyes and sat down to take off his boots and socks. He felt a little silly as he rolled up his pants but he had to admit as he waded into the water; it _did_ feel really good. He had never swam in the water before, just admired it from a distance. Seeing the enjoyment Carol got out of it, he wondered now why he had never tried it. She seemed to truly enjoy the little things and he marveled at how she could do that considering all that she had been through.

Suddenly she laughed. "Look! There's fish in here too!" She pointed at a small one that darted past his legs. "I'm going in a little deeper." 

"Watch where yo-" He started to warn but it was too late. She gave a yelp and then went headfirst into the water.

He cursed and dove into the water to grab her. Her face was pale as he pulled her to the surface and she sputtered a bit from the water. He kept a strong arm around her middle and guided them back towards the bank. She coughed a bit as he helped her to sit.

"There's a drop off. Merle went swimming in there once, but only because he fell asleep and his pole drifted away," he explained. Without thinking, he yanked her shirt up and saw that the bandages around her ribs were coming off. "Shit," he muttered. "Should have known better than to let you go out in that damn water."

He wasn't sure exactly who he was mad at, but he realized that she was quiet and he was getting an eyeful of her very drenched bra. He pulled her shirt back down and went to stand. Her hand reached out and grabbed his arm. "Daryl?" He wasn't sure if it was a question but he stayed where he was and waited. She grabbed his head with her wet hands and before he knew what was happening, her lips pressed against his. Her lips were cool on his and he could feel a trickle of water sliding between their faces. He had the urge to lay her back and kiss her until he couldn't breathe and the sensations scared him. She pulled away after a few moments and her face grew red.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I jus-"

"Nah, it's alright," he interrupted quickly.

"I hope it doesn't make things awkward between us. I really am sorry. I wasn't thinking." 

"Nah, we okay." His heart was racing and he moved back to sit a few inches away from her. He had to get some space before he did something really stupid like try to kiss her again. _She was still married, for crying out loud. What the hell kind of person would that make him to make out with a married woman?_ She was already regretting it and that made him feel worse. On top of everything else, he now had an erection that was being a bitch to hide.

Awkward was an understatement. He wanted her.

..........


	13. Chapter 13

**...**

It had been one week since she had kissed Daryl. _One week._

He had been avoiding her since then and she tried not to let it get to her, but it made her sad. She didn't know what had come over her with that kiss exactly. There was something very appealing about Daryl. He was rugged, but he still managed to attract lots of female attention. He seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that women found him attractive though. Even Merle got lots of interested looks thrown his way. One night they had went out to eat at the diner, and the women that were there kept giving her jealous looks all night. She found it quite humorous really.

She swung her legs back and forth from her perch on a stool that Daryl had carted out to the garage for her. He had said he was tired of seeing her sit on a bucket. She didn't complain because he had barely said anything else to her, so anything was something. Now she was sitting there trying to fix a zipper on one of Merle's jeans while he drank a beer and tinkered with his bike again. At first, she hadn't been able to tell that he was doing anything to the bike at all, but now she could start to see some changes. It was actually starting to look more like a bike that might actually run one day instead of a big piece of metal with wheels.

It was one of those incredibly hot and muggy days and she had pulled her hair back into a ponytail that morning before coming out. Daryl had skipped breakfast, insisting he wasn't hungry, but he had accepted the lunch she had made for him. She tried to make him lunch every morning because she noticed that he didn't ever carry anything. He never commented on it, but he did accept it when she made it. It made her feel good to contribute in that way, no matter how small.

Merle had the radio cranked to a rock station and she was humming along so that was probably why they didn't hear the car pull up out front. She didn't fail to notice as a pretty blonde made her way around the house to the garage.

She raised a brow. "Merle?" Merle grunted, which she knew by now meant for her to continue. "I think you have company."

He stopped what he was doing and sat up to wipe his hands and forehead on a towel. He glanced towards the doorway as the blonde came to a stop and shielded her eyes to peer inside. She was completely ignoring her, but Carol wasn't offended. The blonde smiled when she spotted Merle and strode inside out of the sun.

"Hey there sexy." She practically purred. Carol put down her project to observe the scene before her. It looked as if it could get interesting. She hadn't seen this woman around since she had been living here. The only blonde she knew that had come around had been Beth, and she knew Beth because of Hershel Greene. Hershel was pretty much the only veterinarian in the area, and he was really good at what he did.

Carol watched as Merle stood and she noticed that his gaze flicked from her then back to the blonde again. He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Andrea." 

Andrea's smile faltered momentarily, but she seemed to recover quickly. She ran her fingers down Merle's arm, and then looked back at Carol like she had just noticed she was there. Carol set her project aside and stood up to reach out a hand. "Hi, I'm Carol. It's nice to meet you." 

Andrea hesitated and then she grabbed her hand briefly. Her gaze flicked back to Merle. "Can I speak with you for a moment? Alone?" 

Carol took that as her cue and before Merle could speak, she grabbed up her things and made her way to the door. She cast a smile at Merle over her shoulder to let him know she wasn't mad and made her way inside. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden to either of the men.

…

Merle wasn't sure how he felt about Andrea showing up out of the blue. She didn't usually just come over on her own. He shot a glance at Carol as Andrea indicated she wanted to speak with him in private. He knew what she wanted. It was what she always wanted, and he couldn't blame her. Andrea waited until she heard the back door shut before speaking.

"I got some weed, and I thought we might take a drive," she suggested.

As soon as she started talking about it, Merle felt himself start craving it. He had thought he might try to stay away from drugs for a while, try to straighten up a bit. Having Beth see him shitfaced hadn't been his shining moment, and he hadn't seen her since. He hadn't wanted to admit to anyone how disappointed he was that she hadn't been back by, not even to himself.

Merle swallowed, "Yeah?"

She nodded. "I got some time before I gotta be at work down at the club. Maybe we could go to that place?"

Merle knew she was referring to the quarry. He had taken her there before so that they could party and screw around. He wasn't sure it was such a good idea to leave Carol that long alone though. His brother would kick his ass for sure. It _had_ been a while since he had gotten to have any fun though. He hadn't been able to get out as much this past week with Carol being around. Not that he minded her; the woman was a saint in the kitchen. Sometimes though, he felt like he was babysitting and that didn't sit well with him. He wasn't a babysitter. Hell, most times he could barely take care of himself, but he felt an obligation to protect the little woman so he didn't mind as much keeping an eye out. Besides, he looked forward to the day he could pound Ed into the ground.

"Alright. Lee me go tell Carol I'm leavin'." 

Andrea made a face. "What? You have to get permission now? Who is she anyway?" 

Merle smirked. "Woah! Easy there darlin'. Ya startin' to sound like ya got some kind of claim on me." She blushed slightly. "I'll be back in a minute," he said as he walked towards the house.

He entered the back door to find Carol sitting in the chair working on his jeans again. He didn't know why she bothered. He hadn't even asked her to do it, but she had found them by the trash and asked him about them. He didn't have time for stuff like zippers; that was a woman's area.

She stopped what she was doing and looked up as he entered the living room. "Everything okay?" 

Merle nodded. "Gonna ride out for a bit. Ya gonna be alright here until Daryl gets home?"

She studied him for a minute and then nodded. "Sure, I'll be fine. Have a good time." She smiled at him and he wasn't sure why, but he felt guilty.

He pushed the feelings away. "Keep the doors locked, and don't open for anybody but me or my brother." 

"Okay."

He turned and walked back outside, pausing a minute by the door until he heard the lock turn. Guilt still gnawing at him, he went to find Andrea.

...

Daryl frowned as he tried to open the front door when he got home from work. It was locked. They rarely ever locked the door unless they were going to be gone for a while. He couldn't think of anywhere that Merle and Carol might have went though. He was digging for his key when the door opened and Carol stared back at him. He frowned as he walked inside.

"Where's Merle?" 

"He went out with someone by the name of Andrea." She headed towards the kitchen and he followed behind her, not quite believing that Merle had ditched her for Andrea.

He thought Merle had understood not to leave Carol alone like that. Although no one had heard anything out of Ed, Daryl felt like he was still around, biding his time. It made Daryl angry that Merle had gone off like that. He had thought that things were improving a little with Merle and his partying since Carol had moved in, but it was obvious that it hadn't.

He sat down at the counter while Carol began rummaging in the cabinets to start dinner. He was suddenly aware that they were in the house all alone for the first time since she had kissed him. He had been doing his best to avoid that type of situation and now here they were. He couldn't very well leave her alone so it appeared they would be spending the evening together.

She stretched to reach into one of the top cabinets and her shirt lifted slightly so that he saw a sliver of her bare back. His throat went dry as he took in the rest of her appearance. She had on a pair of snug fitting shorts that showed off her figure and her hair was pulled back so that he could see her neck. He shifted on his stool uncomfortably.

"I'm gonna go take a shower and get this shit off me." He didn't wait for her reply and headed straight into the bathroom. He had to get himself under control. He was acting like a damn high school teenager. He shed himself of his clothes and turned on the cold water. It wasn't the most ideal solution, but it would have to do for now.

He quickly washed and rinsed off all of the dirt and grime from the day and stepped out to towel off. He was starting to smell the scent of whatever Carol was cooking and it was making his stomach growl in response. Grabbing a pair of sweats and a tank he preferred to wear around the house, he dressed then made his way back into the kitchen.

Carol glanced over at him as he walked in. "Dinner shouldn't be too long. I hope you like fettuccine alfredo."

Daryl raised a brow. "Sounds fancy. Don't think I ever had any fettu- whatever alfredo." 

Carol laughed. "It's not fancy at all. It's a really easy dish to make. I think you will like it."

He walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer. Popping the top, he made his way back to his perch behind the counter. He didn't know why he was sitting in here watching her; he was only torturing himself in the process. She continued with her preparations, giving him plenty of time to study her.

"I was thinking of going to look for a job," she said suddenly.

Daryl paused with the beer halfway to his lips. "Why you want to do that for?"

She stirred something in a pot and turned to face him. "I need to make money, Daryl. I can't live off of you and Merle. I'm going to need my own place soon."

He pondered that thought. He didn't want her to leave. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but it was nice having a woman around. She kept the house clean, cooked, and even seemed to be good for Merle. He couldn't figure out how she managed to work his brother, but somehow she did. He hadn't ever seen anything like it and he wasn't ready to face the prospect of giving all of that up.

"Don't you want to wait and see what happens with Ed? Aren't they looking for him?"

Carol walked back to the stove to check on the food. Seemingly satisfied, she walked back over to him. "I've talked to Sheriff Grimes and he said they are trying to find him, but so far no one seems to know where he went."

"I think it's kind of dangerous to be working when we don't know where he is. What does the Sheriff say do?" He held his breath.

Carol sighed. "He said it was probably best for me to lay low." Daryl let out the breath he had been holding. Maybe she wouldn't leave for now and he could have her around longer. "Dinner's ready." She went over to the stove and switched it off.

Daryl went to the fridge and grabbed a soda for her and another beer for himself. She fixed two plates and brought them over and they sat down to eat. Daryl looked at his plate. It looked like just a big plate of noodles with chunks of meat and some kind of white sauce. He glanced at her and saw that she was watching him. He picked up his fork and scooped up some of the food and after sniffing it, he put it in his mouth. He must have looked surprised because she started grinning at him. It was actually _good_. He began to eat a lot more eagerly as his stomach growled its impatience. He noticed she was still staring at him.

"It's good alright? Damn," he muttered.

Carol's grin grew wider. "Thanks." She began to eat and Daryl bit back a smile.

.............


	14. Chapter 14

**...**

Merle felt like shit. Plain and simple. Andrea was high as a kite next to him, but he wasn't nearly as high as she thought he was. Mainly because he was preoccupied. He had rode with her to the quarry and now he was sitting here next to her wondering what the hell he was doing with his life. The simple fact that he was pondering life had him scared shitless. He had never been the philosophical type e _ver_. Maybe it was the drugs.

Andrea giggled beside him and began trying to kiss on his neck. It wasn't doing a damn thing for him. He sighed and stood up almost causing her to topple over. She glanced up at him in surprise.

"Let's go. I gotta get back." 

Andrea's eyes narrowed and she frowned. "I'm not ready to go yet."

Merle crossed his arms. "Well I fuckin' am!"

Andrea huffed, "Fine, then walk because I'm not leaving."

He couldn't believe she was going to be this stubborn. She clearly didn't know him if she thought he was going to sit there just because she wasn't ready. He had to get out of here. If he had to walk to get out, then that's what he would do. He couldn't sit there another minute. Maybe he could even make it back before Daryl got home. Cursing to himself, he stalked off through the woods towards the road.

He was getting too old for this shit. His brother was right. He needed to grow up. He had to keep a level head and stay away from people who would only bring him down. He hadn't missed the disappointed look Carol had given him when he had left earlier either. What a dickhead move, leaving her by herself. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became, and the faster he walked.

By the time he made it out to the main road, he was sweating bullets. His shirt was soaked through and clinging to him like a second skin. Angrily, he wrenched it over his head and laid it on his shoulder. Already he started to feel cooler as the air touched his sweaty skin. He figured he had about a good ten mile or more hike ahead of him.

The sound of an approaching car made him perk up. Maybe he would see someone he knew and they could give him a ride. It was too fucking hot to be walking ten miles or better. He paused and turned around to see the car slow and then it pulled to a stop in front of him. He couldn't tell who it was, and he didn't recognize the car either. He would take what he could get though and he walked over to the passenger side window. As soon as he saw the driver, he sighed. God was surely punishing him.

...

Daryl looked at the clock again. Merle still hadn't made it back and he figured by now he was going to be gone all night. Carol was sitting next to him on the couch and he wasn't really sure how it had happened, but he wasn't about to move. She had the TV on to one of the few channels they picked up, but he wasn't really paying it any attention. He was too focused on how bad he was going to pound Merle when he finally saw him. He was so distracted that he was startled when Carol switched the TV off.

"Let's go get some ice cream!" Her voice was laced with excitement.

Daryl chuckled. She was so enthusiastic sometimes that he couldn't help himself. "I haven't went for ice cream in a long time."

She laughed. "That's why we need to go!" She stood up and pulled on his arm. He smirked and stood up to grab the truck keys. They walked out towards the truck and climbed inside of the cab. The truck had seen better days, but it started right up and that surprised a lot of people. Merle kept the engine running smoothly, but they couldn't do much cosmetically. Neither of them could afford a new one either.

The night air was considerably cooler than it had been earlier and Daryl found himself smiling as he drove. He was sitting next to a beautiful woman and at the moment, life couldn't get much better than that. Carol cranked up the radio and his favorite classic rock station started blaring through the speakers. He drove through town to a place that the locals frequented that sold ice cream and various other sweet things. As he suspected, the place was packed with teenagers and families stopping in to get a treat on a summer night. He didn't think he had ever been in the place before and he could care less about going in now if Carol wasn't so excited about it.

He parked the truck and they hopped out to enter the shop. It was called _Sweet Dreams_ and was really the only place to get ice cream that you didn't have to drive an hour to reach. When it came time to order he gestured to Carol to go ahead. She bit her lip as she scanned the list and then smiled as she made her decision.

"I'll have mint chocolate chip on a waffle cone please." 

The girl relayed the order to someone else and then turned to Daryl. "Make that two."

He paid the bill and they moved to the side to wait for their cones to be prepared. "You like mint chocolate chip?" Carol asked.

"Haven't ever tried it. Don't get to eat much ice cream." 

"You don't know what you're missing! It's great!" She turned as their cones were presented and grabbed Daryl's to hand to him. The inside was crowded so he gestured to the patio tables on the outside were there weren't as many people around. They took a seat at a table and Daryl had to quickly lick his cone to prevent it from dripping all over him in the warm air. Surprisingly the flavor wasn't that bad and he realized he was actually enjoying himself. He kept glancing up at Carol who was focused entirely on licking her cone to keep the ice cream from dripping. He chuckled at her because her methods weren't working and ice cream was dripping down her hand.

"Need some help?" He asked then flushed as he realized how that sounded.

Startled, she looked at him and then followed his gaze to her arm where the ice cream was leaving a sticky trail. She giggled then and looked around for a napkin. Without thinking he grabbed his shirt and wiped her arm with it.

"You didn't have to do that." She blushed slightly.

Daryl shrugged. He was used to being dirty. "No big deal. Comes off in the wash."

"Well, thanks."

He watched a trail of ice cream pool in the corner of her mouth. Before he could stop himself, he reached out his thumb and gently rubbed it away. They both froze for a moment and Daryl wanted to kiss _her_ this time. He wanted to taste her lips that were covered with a fine layer of ice cream. He leaned forward, ice cream forgotten, and saw her lean towards him slightly. He could almost taste her already, the memory of their last kiss still burned into his brain.

Someone cleared their throat from just beside them and Daryl quickly leaned back into his seat. "Carol?" Daryl looked up to see Officer Walsh standing there next to the table. He was apparently off duty because he was dressed in regular clothing.

It seemed to take Carol a minute to snap back into the present and she tore her gaze from Daryl to offer the man a smile. "Hello." 

"Dixon." Shane nodded at him.

Daryl tipped the last bite of his cone at him in greeting and grumpily shoved it into his mouth. He should have figured that they would be interrupted. Everyone knew everybody in this stupid place.

"How have you been?" Shane asked Carol.

Carol finished her cone and wiped her hands on her pants. "I've been doing okay. Have you heard from Ed?" Her voice held a trace of nervousness now.

Shane shook his head. "Nothing yet. He's been at your place though. Some of the neighbors said they spotted his car coming out of the drive about three days ago. He hasn't been back since though. You might want to go by there and move what you need if you have a place to store it."

"I don't real-" Carol began.

"We'll take her by there tomorrow and get her things," Daryl interrupted her to say.

"Daryl, I can't put all that stuff at your place," Carol protested. Shane watched the two of them with an arched brow.

"So it's true then? She's staying with you and your brother?" Shane looked at Daryl and he nodded. He couldn't help but smile as he saw that it seemed to irritate Shane a little.

He and Shane had both graduated the same year in high school. While Daryl had barely scraped by; Shane had been a big football jock. They had been from two entirely different social circles and Shane had never seemed to like him much. He figured it was because Merle had kicked his ass once for getting mouthy with him. Ever since then, it seemed like he had developed a dislike for them. Daryl didn't care one way or the other, as long as he stayed out of his way.

"It's just until I can get on my feet. They've been very kind to me." Carol sent a smile at Daryl.

Shane looked between the two of them. "Well if you need assistance, you be sure and give a call to the station. I'll be on duty tomorrow and I've got no problems helping you out."

"I-" Carol said.

"She'll be fine. My brother and I won't let anything happen to her," Daryl interrupted again. He was getting tired of people insinuating that Carol wasn't safe with them. He would never let anything happen to her and he knew Merle wouldn't either. Thinking of Merle reminded him how pissed he was at him. He wondered if he was back yet.

...

Merle sighed as he climbed into the passenger seat and turned to the smiling blonde next to him. He was still reeling from Andrea's attitude and now out of nowhere his guardian angel had shown up yet again. He was really starting to wonder if there was some truth to that theory.

Beth frowned slightly as she looked him over. "Are you okay?" 

Merle nodded. "Bout good as can be expected darlin'. My ride seems to have bailed on me." He was careful not to mention Andrea or what he had actually been doing. The last thing he wanted was to mess up any good image she might have left of him. Assuming she had any to begin with anyway. He noticed that this wasn't her car and he glanced around with a frown. "Your car doin' alright?" He asked.

She nodded as she drove. "This is my sister Maggie's car. I borrowed it to drive out to the Wilkinson Farm and deliver some medicine for their new baby calves."

Merle watched her as she drove, changing gears with the ease of someone who had been doing it for a while. "Not many women I know can drive a stick," he commented.

"Daddy taught us young. We grew up on a farm where half our vehicles were sticks. It's just second nature to me now I suppose." She shrugged.

Merle didn't know a lot about Beth. He had heard of her daddy because he was pretty much the only veterinarian around and Maggie he remembered briefly from school. Aside from that, he didn't know anything. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and realized he was going to get some serious shit from Daryl when he pulled up. It was a lot later than he had thought.

"So what were you doing all the way out here?" She asked as she slowed down to make a turn.

Merle thought about that a moment. He didn't feel right lying to her, but he didn't want to tell her the truth either. He decided to improvise. "I was hangin' with someone who was doin' somethin' I didn't wanna do. I got mad an' they wouldn't take me home, so I walked." That was true enough; he was just leaving out a few things here and there.

She glanced over at him and he suddenly realized he was still shirtless. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry that happened," she said simply.

He stared at her for a long time. "I ain't."

She pulled into his driveway and stared at him, blushing slightly. He glanced out of the window and saw his brother come to stand on the porch with his arms crossed. _Here we go,_ he thought. He turned back to Beth. She was sitting there so sweetly and she hadn't even questioned a single thing he had said. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened.

"I'd invite ya in, but it's a bad time." 

She looked down at her lap. "It's okay. Merle?" He grunted. "I know I'm a lot younger than you, but I was wondering if you wanted to hang out some time? I mean, not like a date or anything. I mean, unless you want to," she rambled.

Merle smirked. Tipping her chin up with his finger he stared her in the eyes. "Oh I want to darlin'." He winked. She blushed prettily under his gaze and he pressed his lips to hers briefly. He was momentarily thrown at the sweetness of her lips. He didn't press her further than the brief kiss and when he pulled back she had her eyes closed and a smile upon her face.

"Sweet dreams darlin'." 

She opened her eyes. "Goodnight, Merle."

...........


	15. Chapter 15

**...**

Merle climbed out of the car and waited until Beth had pulled away before he turned to face Daryl who had walked down off of the porch. He could see the anger brewing in his brother's face even from a distance.

"Listen before ya even get started with ya bitchin' brother, let me tell ya wha-" Merle's efforts to explain were silenced by the sound of his brother's fist connecting with his jaw.

Merle's cheek radiated with pain and he cursed the day he had ever taught Daryl how to defend himself. The little shit was using his own techniques against him. Merle snapped back enough to throw his body weight against Daryl and knock him off balance. He began punching him in the stomach until Daryl hooked a leg around his and knocked him off of his feet.

"Dammit! Cut this shit out Daryl!" He had just wanted to explain that he knew he had been wrong for leaving Carol, but now he was just getting pissed. It was obvious Daryl had been stewing for quite some time about it. That much was evident from the intensity of his punches. Daryl popped him between the eyes and Merle scowled. That was it. He _was_ pissed off now. If Daryl wouldn't listen, then he was going to have to kick his ass, plain and simple.

...

Carol walked onto the porch to observe the tangle that was the Dixon brothers. They were acting like idiots in her opinion. She didn't know what had happened to the days of talking things out, but apparently that wasn't how the Dixon's operated. They fought first and talked later. She had never seen anything like it in her life.

She hadn't missed that Merle had been dropped off by Beth though. She wondered about that, temporarily distracted from the scuffle going on before her. She was curious as to what had happened to Andrea. She wished they would stop so that she could figure out what was going on. Daryl hadn't even let Merle finish before he had swung at him and she knew Merle was going to have a bruise there. She had been hit in that same place before by Ed and although it probably hadn't been quite as hard, she had still bruised.

She slapped at a mosquito feasting on her leg and sat down on the steps with a sigh. They were slowing down some at least. She could hear their heavy panting and she shook her head and rested her chin on her hand as she observed them from her seat under the glow from the porch light. It was never a dull moment at the Dixon household.

...

Daryl was pissed at Merle, but even more pissed at himself for thinking that Merle might be changing and accepting more responsibilities. He didn't want to admit how it had hurt him to hear about him being gone with Andrea again. He had been slightly confused to see him ride up with Beth, but the anger had quickly returned as soon as his brother had opened his mouth to spout off yet another one of his excuses.

Merle shoved him and Daryl shoved him back. They stood a few feet apart, slightly bloody and panting heavily. Daryl could feel wetness by his nose and he wiped at it with his arm. When he looked down he saw that it was blood he felt just like he had thought. He coughed a little and then spit on the ground. He eyed Merle as he held his ribs. They had taken a good beating from Merle and were now sore.

Merle was bent over with his hands on his knees drawing in his own deep breaths. Daryl smirked and figured it served him right. He watched as Merle grabbed up his fallen shirt and wiped at his face with it. Daryl couldn't understand why the hell he was riding with Beth without a shirt on, but he intended to find out. The last thing they needed was Merle getting killed when that girl's daddy found out. Although the way he was feeling at the moment, he might not mind so much.

"What the fuck, Merle!" 

"I was tryin' to tell ya, but ya stupid ass don't listen," Merle huffed.

"Listen to another one of your fancy excuses? Sure! Let's hear it!" Daryl yelled sarcastically.

Merle stood up then and they stared at one another for several seconds before speaking. "It was a shitty idea I'll admit. Damn blondie had me yearnin' for some shit I ain't need. Hell, I been tryin' to stay away from that shit man!"

Daryl stared at him. Ironically, he kind of believed him this time. He didn't look like he was simply making it up like he usually did. "Why the hell were you getting dropped off by Beth? You know who her fuckin' daddy is?"

Merle nodded. "Andrea wouldn't drive me back. She must have been on her fuckin' period or some shit cause she sure was moody. Blondie picked me up walkin'. Weren't for her, I'd still be walkin'."

Daryl was finally starting to get his breath back. It had been a while since he and Merle had tumbled that roughly. He noticed Merle was having a hard time getting himself together too, but then again Merle was older than he was. "Alright then, come on. Carol left you a plate in the microwave. Might as well eat."

Merle followed behind him and they both came to a stop at the porch where Carol was now standing on the steps with her hands on her hips. "So that's it then?" She asked incredulously.

The brothers exchanged a look, unsure of where this bossy new Carol was coming from. Daryl cleared his throat first. "It's settled."

Carol glanced at him and then she stared hard at Merle. Neither of the brothers moved and she walked over to Merle until she was nose to nose with him. "You look like hell," she said softly. "I was getting worried about you. Don't do it again." 

Daryl saw Merle nod and look back at her with something akin to amusement in his eyes. "Can we go in now mama?" Merle teased.

Carol smacked him on the arm and Merle snickered.

...

Carol awoke the next morning aching and very uncomfortable. The first thing she noticed was that she wasn't on the bed, and the second was that she was lying draped across Daryl who was snoring softly. Then she remembered that they had all settled into the living room to watch a movie on TV when she and Daryl must have fallen asleep. Merle wasn't in there and she knew he had still been awake last she saw him so that meant he had left them sleeping there. She tried to shift herself without waking Daryl, but it didn't work. His eyes popped open the second she tried to move and he looked around a few minutes before focusing on her. She wanted to groan out loud. She was sure her hair was wildly frazzled around her head, not to mention the fact that her ribs were killing her.

All of that was nothing compared to the fact that she could now _feel_ just how well endowed Daryl was. The proof of it was poking her in the belly. She knew the moment he realized it too because his face turned a slight shade of red. She struggled to sit up, but failed and he had to help her so that they could both sit up. She dragged her fingers through her hair before realizing that she was being ridiculous. She went to stand up, but he grabbed her arm.

"We gotta go and get your stuff today." 

Well that wasn't what she had been expecting him to say. "You've got to work, Daryl. I'll take Merle." 

He shook his head. "I'm calling in a personal day. Ain't no way I'm climbing on no roof like this." 

"You won't get in trouble?" She didn't want to cause him any problems with his new job. She knew how badly they needed the money. She did really want to get some of her things though. She had some emergency cash stashed away in the house that she was sure Ed didn't know anything about. She would feel better with some money in her pocket.

"Nah. Boss is a pretty understanding guy." He tugged on her wrist gently. "Sit down a minute." Curious, she sat down and looked at him. He appeared to be struggling to tell her something, but she couldn't figure out what. "Aw, fuck it," he growled.

He pulled her face in close to his and pressed his lips to hers. Startled, she gasped and his tongue immediately invaded her mouth. She quickly regained her bearings and began kissing him back. She wasn't sure what had brought this on, but ever since they had been interrupted by Shane last night she had wanted to kiss him. His movements were slow and a little unsure, but that suited her just fine. It wasn't like she had had lots of practice. Ed had never been much of a kisser, even when they had first dated. She rested her hands on Daryl's arms and settled into the kiss. She marveled at the feel of his muscles underneath her small hands. She found herself wanting more and she slid closer to him on the couch so that she was pressed against him. He stiffened, but soon began to relax as they continued to kiss. It was better than the first time and she felt like she could stay on that couch all day doing only that.

"Damn, y'all kids sure take a while to get with it, don't ya?" Merle remarked from just behind the couch. He was munching on a Pop Tart and grinning like a fool.

They broke away and Daryl scowled. He stood up and shot Merle a glare. "Ever heard of privacy?" Daryl muttered as he strode past him towards the bathroom.

Merle leaned on the back of the couch. "Ya ever heard of a bedroom?" 

Carol snickered and hit him with a pillow. "You're so mean Merle." 

Merle chuckled and turned to wink at her. "It's what I do best darlin'."

.........


	16. Chapter 16

**...**

Following Carol's directions, Daryl drove them over to Ed's place to get her things. He refused to think of it as Carol's house. She sat in between the two brothers as they drove and everyone was oddly quiet.

Daryl had called his boss after taking his shower and gotten the okay for a personal day. He was aching from he and Merle's scuffle last night, but it was starting to fade as he moved around more. His ribs had taken most of the beating and he hoped Merle was feeling it as well. He noticed that his brother had a little bit of a shiner on his face this morning and he couldn't help smirking a little at the sight of it. It would surely start another brawl if Merle saw him smirking though so he kept it to himself.

It was another hot day out and he couldn't help himself from ogling Carol a little bit. She had on a tank top with a pair of long shorts that almost looked like pants, but it was still more skin than she had shown since he had met her. She had very pale skin that was even more noticeable when she sat next to him. His own skin was deeply tanned, looking much as it did every summer.

She finally pointed out the house as Daryl turned the last corner and he felt himself tensing up. He didn't really want to go in there and see all of the things that would remind him of the life that she had had with Ed. He was going to though, because no way would he let her go in there alone should she stumble across Ed himself. He parked the truck in the drive and glanced up at the house. It was a simple house with a decent sized porch on the front. Not one you would look at and assume that anything bad had gone on inside of it. He felt Carol's unease next to him and he gave her a small smile before sliding out of the cab.

He shut the door and lit a cigarette while Merle helped her out of the other side. She crossed over to the front of the truck and then just stood there frozen. Daryl exchanged a glance with Merle and Merle shrugged. He started to put out his cigarette, but then decided he really didn't care whether or not he smoked in Ed's house. He walked over next to Carol.

"Come on. Nothing is gonna hurt you as long as we're here." 

She looked up at him with so much trust in her eyes that it almost took his breath away. Finally she nodded and began walking towards the house again. She hesitated one last time on the steps before inserting her key into the lock.

...

She frowned as she tried the knob. Taking the key out and reinserting it again ended her with the same results: the door wasn't opening. She tried once more and then turned to the two men.

"He must have changed the locks. I guess we'll have to get Officer Walsh down here to open it," she said.

Merle gave her a look and snorted. "What the hell we need that asshole for? Way I see it, y'all still married so you got a right to be here. Ya worried about messin' up the paint or somethin'?"

Carol couldn't help herself as she felt the grin break across her face. "Alright Merle, be my guest."

Merle grinned and pushed past her and Daryl, who was eyeing him with a look of amusement. Running his hand along the door for a moment, he frowned in concentration and then backed up a couple of steps. His booted foot shot out and with two swift kicks the lock busted and the door swung open.

He turned back to Carol with a wink. "Ladies first," he gestured with a sweep of his hand.

She snickered and proceeded inside the house. The first thing she noticed was the mess it was in. Apparently Ed had gone on a drunken rampage at some point and decided to trash the place. She saw empty beer bottles and fast food cartons scattered about. Apparently he had been here a lot more than anyone knew about. That made her uneasy and she tried to rub away the chill that settled across her skin.

Daryl followed close behind her, but Merle lingered in the doorway. "I'll stay here an' keep an eye out in case the bastard shows." 

She didn't respond and walked into the kitchen. She grabbed up a set of salt and pepper shakers shaped like dogs and with one last glance, turned to leave.

"What the hell is that?" Daryl asked as she went to brush past him.

"They were my mothers. It's all I have left of her besides a few pictures."

Daryl immediately looked embarrassed. "That's all you want out of there?" 

Carol cast another look at the kitchen. Everything there reminded her of Ed in one way or another. When she finally got her own place, she would buy new stuff. She nodded and moved on down the hallway. She stopped at a hall closet and grabbed a couple of duffle bags. Moving into the bedroom she had shared with Ed, she grabbed her clothes out of the closet. They weren't very flattering and most were too hot for this time of year because she had tried to cover her bruises. She exited the bedroom and headed down to the living room to grab a few photo albums that didn't contain Ed from the bookshelf. Aside from their wedding album, they hadn't ever taken many pictures together anyway. Then she simply stood there and tried to fight the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Daryl wandered in and walked over to her.

"Hey, you alright?" 

She sucked in a deep breath and nodded. He grabbed the two duffle bags from her hands and tested their weight. "This all you taking?" 

She started to nod, but then remembered the money. "I'll be right out. I need to grab one more thing!" She ran down the hallway. She slowed as she entered the spare bedroom that was once going to be a nursery and grabbed the chair that sat in the corner. She positioned it directly underneath the vent in the ceiling. Loosening the screws, she removed the vent and dropped it onto the small twin bed that sat there. Reaching in with her hand, she moved around until she finally felt the small plastic bag that contained her money. Pulling it out she was relieved that it all still seemed to be there.

Feeling much better than she had in weeks, she quickly replaced the vent and put the chair back. No need for Ed to suspect that she had kept anything from him. It would only make him want to hurt her more. She didn't need to create any more problems.

She walked outside to find the two brothers standing by the truck staring at a black car with tinted windows that was drifting slowly by. Carol didn't recognize the car, but that didn't mean anything. As she walked over towards Daryl, she saw Merle flip the bird at the car and the car came to a halt. Daryl tensed and he and Merle began making their way over to the car. The driver of the car revved the engine and then spun tires as it sped off down the road. She saw Daryl grab Merle's arm and pull him back over to the truck.

"What was that all about?" She asked Daryl.

His face held an expression of anger and concern. "I don't know. You know that car?" 

She shook her head. "I've never seen it before."

"Well ya let us know if ya see it again darlin'. That person was up to no good," Merle commented. Carol nodded, but inside her thoughts were racing.

_Could it have been Ed driving the car? And If it wasn't Ed, did that mean someone else meant to do her harm?_

...

When they arrived back at their house, Daryl carried in Carol's bags despite her protests. Carol disappeared into the kitchen and started on some lunch for them while Daryl followed Merle to the garage. It had been a while since Daryl had been out there, but he knew Merle had been out there a lot lately. He was completely shocked when he walked inside and found Merle's bike finished in the middle of the floor. He looked over at Merle who was grinning like crazy.

"No shit?" Daryl breathed.

Merle shrugged. "Ain't finished with it yet. Got a couple tweaks to do before I test it out." Daryl ran his hand along the handlebars. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and he had seen a lot. He sat in the middle and tested the seat out. "Ya need a minute, or can I get back to it?" Merle snorted. "You an' your damn bikes. It still needs a new seat and a few more odds an' ends."

Daryl didn't care. It was still a thing of beauty. He had known it would be when he had seen the frame. Merle had tinkered with it when he first got it and for a while, Daryl thought he would have to be the one to finish it. Merle had surprised him with all that he had gotten done though. Usually Merle preferred working on vehicles to bikes. He had always said how his fingers were too big to work on engines that small. Daryl crossed over and grabbed the beers he had brought out from the house and tossed one to Merle who popped the top and took a long swig. He laid down to start working on the bike again and Daryl watched him a few minutes.

"So what's the deal with you an' Red in there brother?"

Daryl paused in the middle of taking a sip of beer. "Ain't nothing going on." He picked up a wrench and began tossing it up and down in his hands.

Merle snorted. "Ya forget who ya talkin' to brother. I can smell the sex comin' off of ya every time I walk in the room an' you two are together."

"It isn't like that with me and Carol."

"If ya say so. She wants you too, ya know."

Daryl narrowed his eyes as he sat up a little bit straighter. "How do you know that?"

Merle sat up and stared across the bike at Daryl. He looked towards the house and then back at Daryl. "I see her lookin' at ya when she don't know it. I been with lots of women; I know that look when I see it." Merle grinned.

Daryl shook his head and looked off towards the house. He could barely make out Carol moving around in there through the window. He wondered if Merle was right.

...

Later that afternoon, they all gathered in the garage to hear Merle crank the bike up. They all grinned at one another as the bike roared to life. Carol was so proud of Merle. He had worked so hard on that bike all afternoon and she knew he must be feeling pretty good about it. She was feeling surprisingly cheerful herself.

"Let's go down to Hangover and celebrate! We can have dinner - my treat, and a game of pool," she suggested.

She could see them mulling the idea over and Daryl shrugged his okay, but Merle looked to be still pondering the idea. She walked over and leaned into him. "No drinks. Just a night out. Please, Merle." She batted her eyelashes at him prettily and he scoffed as he tried to push her away, but she could see him cracking.

"Damn woman, ya ain't gotta rub all over me! I need to test the bike out anyhow," he grumbled.

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks Merle!" He grumbled some more, but she thought she saw a hint of red on his face. She skipped off to change, excited about a night out with what were becoming her two favorite people.

...

Merle pulled the bike up at the bar and climbed off as Daryl and Carol pulled up a few seconds later in the truck. It had felt good to be back on his bike again, but he was a little hesitant about going into the bar. He didn't want to be tempted to drink. He was trying to stay away from all of that for a while. He needed to get his head straight. He followed the two of them into the bar and Red gave them a wave from behind the counter.

"Merle! You want your usual?" He called out.

Merle's throat went dry. He was torn until he felt Carol's hand on his and she gave it a gentle squeeze. "Nah, not tonight Red. Just gonna get a bite to eat," he called back. Red seemed surprised, but he didn't say anything and the three of them headed over to a booth near the pool tables. It wasn't too crowded at the moment, but Merle knew it would be later. They each placed their order and Carol jumped up to claim a pool table. Merle wasn't sure why she was so eager... there wasn't anyone playing right now. He glanced over at Daryl.

"I believe that's your cue sweetheart," he teased with a smirk.

Daryl scowled and kicked him under the table. "Jackass," he muttered as he walked over to join Carol.

Merle glanced lazily around the bar. Some more people were coming in, but he didn't recognize them as anyone he knew personally. He sighed and swished his glass of tea around. It wasn't what he _wanted_ to drink of course, but he knew he was going to have to be strong to stay away from the alcohol. He had thought a lot about that lately. He wanted to try and straighten up his act. Seeing Beth and how sweet she was with everyone, regardless of their background had done things to him. That _kiss_ had done things to him. He had damn near thought about that kiss all night. He had no idea what the girl was doing to him, but she was working him real good and she didn't even know it.

...

Carol grabbed a pool stick and followed Daryl's lead. Even though it had essentially been her idea to play pool, she had no clue how to play. She had seen others play once and she had seen it on TV, but it was nothing like actually _doing_ it herself. She was surely going to make a fool of herself in front of Daryl, especially since he was already setting up the table like he had played every day for his whole life. She watched as he placed the balls into a triangle and rolled it back and forth a few times. He removed the triangle and grabbed a small cube from the side of the table. As she watched, he rubbed it onto the tip of his stick, and then handed it to her. She accepted it and did as he had done a few minutes ago.

He lined up a white ball in front of the others. "You can break." 

She shook her head. "No, you go first." Maybe she could watch him do it and then just copy his movements. Surely, she could pull this off.

Daryl shrugged and angled his stick with the table. She watched as he leaned over, becoming distracted by his body. His muscles tensed and hardened in his arms and she was momentarily hypnotized by the sight. The crack of the balls startled her back into the present. A couple of balls rolled into different pockets, and she realized then that she hadn't paid any attention to his technique. Luckily, he bent to take another shot.

"I call stripes." 

Carol wasn't sure if she should reply, but he continued on with his shot so she figured that he didn't need a response. She studied him as he sunk a few more balls and then it was her turn. She cleared her throat and tried to mimic what she had seen him do. She lined up what she thought was a shot and pushed the stick forward. The white ball bounced hard on the edge of the table and jumped off onto the floor by Daryl's feet. Raising a brow at her as he picked it up, he sauntered over to her with it in his hand while studying her.

"You don't have any idea how to play pool, do you?" Carol blushed and then shook her head no. He snorted. "I figured. You aren't the pool playing type."

She crossed her arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Just don't see women like you at places like this."

She uncrossed her arms. "Oh. Well I've seen someone play before, but I've never actually played myself."

"I can show you some stuff if you want." 

"Okay." She smiled and he placed the ball back on the table.

"First, you're holding your stick all wrong. Holding it like this is easier." He demonstrated and she copied him. "Now when you lean over, you have to line up your shot. You don't wanna just go hitting it any old way because then your balls are going to go bouncing like earlier." He demonstrated again by hitting a ball. "Now you try hitting any ball you want."

Carol sighed and then leaned over to take a shot. Her hands shook as she tried to hit it, but her stick barely grazed the white ball, causing it to spin in place. Daryl smiled and came around behind her. He put his hand over hers on the stick and she could feel his hard body pressed against her backside. Her mouth went dry and she could barely focus at all on what he was saying. He pushed her down a little and her butt instantly brushed against the hardness of him. She felt him tense and she knew her face was surely red. He backed up slightly and then helped her through the motions of making a shot. She could feel his breath tickling her ear. It was incredibly sexy and she could care less about the game of pool now. He straightened and walked back around the table quickly.

"You think you got it now?" He asked gruffly.

"Yeah." 

_Oh, she had it alright, she had it bad._

_..._

Merle was bored out of his mind. _Who came to a bar if they weren't going to drink?_ He watched Carol and Daryl play pool for a few minutes, but the only interesting thing that happened there was Carol throwing the damn ball off of the table and almost hitting Daryl in the foot. Damn girl had no idea what she was doing. Those two had it bad for each other, but both of them were too scared to do anything about it. Hell, he had purposely left them sleeping on the couch in hopes that they would finally get it on, but that hadn't happened. Maybe he needed to give his brother some pointers. Sleeping all night with a woman and not having sex was a pure sin in his book. He looked around the bar at all of the people and sighed. There were people constantly going in and out of the bar as it started to pick up. His eyes focused on one particular familiar blonde head as she made her way to the bar. Feeling slightly better, he rose from the table to get closer.

Beth was leaning across the bar talking to Red about something that he couldn't hear. He stood off to the side for a few moments waiting on her to finish. A man who was clearly drunk walked up to the bar and smiling wickedly, pressed himself up against Beth. Merle saw red. The next thing he knew the man was on his back with a size eleven booted foot pressing gently against his windpipe. The man raised his hands out defensively, seeing as how he was a lot smaller than Merle.

"Ya need to learn you some manners boy! Keep your goddamn hands to yourself!" Merle snapped. He felt a tiny hand grab onto his arm and he turned to see Beth standing there looking worried. "Well, hey there, darlin'. What ya doin'?" He asked nonchalantly. He lifted his foot off of the man's throat and the man gasped for breath before rolling away to try and get up.

"I'm supposed to be giving that man you just laid out a safe ride home." 

Merle's expression turned angry. "The hell ya say! Red, ya better call this one here a taxi cause he can't keep his goddamn hands to himself!" 

Red gave him a thumbs up and picked up the phone. Beth put her hands on her hips. "I could have handled him just fine. It wouldn't be the first drunk I've had to deal with Merle." 

Merle grabbed her arm and pulled her outside where they could hear better. "Ya need to stop doin' this. Ain't a fittin' job for a woman such as yourself." 

Beth blushed slightly. "I'm trying to help people. I would rather them not drink and drive."

"What the hell is so important about it? Find yourself a different way to help." 

"My brother Shawn was killed by a drunk driver. I..I just figured it would be a way to help keep it from happening to someone else's brother," she replied softly.

 _Aw, hell. Now he felt like a real shit. She had to go and say that about her brother._ He huffed and stared off into the dimly lit parking lot while searching for something to say. He had never offered comfort in his life. He had absolutely no idea how to even go about doing it.

"What if I was to help ya?" 

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "You mean ride with me to take these people home?"

Merle nodded. "Just to make sure no one tries anythin'. Won't hurt my feelin's none if ya say no though." 

Beth smiled at him. "I would like that. Some of them are pretty heavy to try and get into the car." She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "You're a good man, Merle."

Merle winced. There was that word again. _Good._ Why the hell did everyone think he was a good person? He could count on one hand all the good things he had probably done in his lifetime. He patted her back gently. He wasn't any good at displays of affection, yet here was his little angel, tugging at all of his layers. She was going to ruin him for sure, but at the feel of her little body pressed against his, he suddenly wasn't sure if he would mind it all that much.

............


	17. Chapter 17

**...**

Daryl pulled up in the driveway and cut off the truck. Despite his better judgment, he had left Merle up there at the bar talking to that Beth girl again. Daryl wasn't particularly fond of that relationship. Even though Merle claimed it was nothing, he saw the way Merle got whenever she was around. He still thought the girl was way too young, but she w _as_ of legal age so at least Merle wasn't breaking the law this time. Merle had promised to be home in a bit, and he had the bike so he should be fine. It still didn't stop Daryl from worrying though. He hoped that Merle was turning a new leaf, but with Merle you never could be too sure sometimes.

Carol hopped out of the cab and they walked side by side to the front door in silence. It had been fun playing pool with Carol. She was really awful at it, but she didn't seem to care and looked to be having a great time despite losing. Daryl had had to keep his distance after trying to show her techniques. Leaning up against her body like he had made him want her that much more. He was still aroused even now as he opened the door to the house and switched on the light.

Carol walked past him and made a beeline for the bathroom. He sat down on the couch and began taking off his shoes. Placing them at the end of the couch, he turned on the television. He wasn't quite tired enough to go to bed yet so he scrolled through the few channels idly. He finally settled on some kind of sitcom and settled further into the couch.

Carol exited the bathroom a few minutes later and walked into his bedroom. She returned mere seconds later and stood awkwardly in the doorway. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He could sense that she wanted to say something so he simply remained quiet until she figured out whatever she needed to figure out.

"Mind if I sit with you a bit? I'm not really tired..." Her voice trailed off.

He shrugged. "You don't have to ask my permission." 

She walked over and sat down on the couch. "Well it _is_ your bed. I didn't want to keep you from sleeping if you were tired."

No one had ever cared enough about his needs before to even bother asking him things like that. It was strange yet nice, to have Carol care. They sat in companionable silence for a bit, neither of them really moving. Daryl wasn't paying much attention at all to the TV. He was too busy thinking about the fact that they were alone again and neither of them had the guts to make a move. That is, _if_ Carol really was attracted to him like Merle claimed she was. Daryl knew next to nothing about women, much less if a woman liked him. He only knew the women that Merle brought home were attracted to him because they practically tried to climb him like a tree. He grimaced and rolled his shoulders forward lightly. His body was beginning to ache again from his scuffle with Merle yesterday.

"Here, scoot over."

He looked over at her with a raised brow. "What?"

She slid back on the couch and patted the area in front of her. "Move over here." She tugged on his arm and he grudgingly slid until he was in front of her. She placed a leg on either side of him until she was flush against his body. He could feel the sweat pop onto his forehead at the feel of her pressed against _him_ instead of the other way around. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began massaging them deeply. He groaned aloud before he could stop himself and he felt Carol chuckle.

"What's so funny?" He demanded.

"Nothing," she replied. "I could get this a lot better if you would lose the shirt."

Daryl tensed. No one _ever_ saw him shirtless except Merle and even that wasn't very often. He had physical reminders of his past embedded in his skin and he didn't want Carol to see them. He didn't want to see the pity in her eyes or have to explain how they had gotten there.

"No," he said gruffly. He slid away from her and she immediately dropped her hands.

...

Merle sat contentedly under the covered patio of the bar with Beth. She was sitting on the railing with her feet dangling while he leaned against it next to her. He tried to keep his eyes from traveling to her long legs, but it was hard. Beth was the type of girl that drew a second look. She was definitely _not_ his type. Not that he had ever considered himself to have a type before, but she definitely didn't fit that category. For starters, she was so damn young, and on top of that, she was far too innocent to tangle with the likes of him.

In a way, he kind of figured she had been good for him and she didn't even know it. Ever since he had met her, he had been trying to seriously quit the drugs and alcohol this time. He had made numerous attempts before, but somehow he always managed to end right back at the bottom again. He just hoped he could keep it together this time.

"Don't you got somewhere ya need to be?" 

She stopped swinging her legs to look at him. "Not really. I can go if I'm bugging you though."

She made a move to get down, but his hand shot out to hold her in place. "Did I say ya was botherin' me?" 

"No."

He nodded. "Alright then."

She smiled at him. "I think you should kiss me again," she said suddenly.

He almost choked on his own spit. "Come again?" 

She blushed. "I said, I think you should kiss me again."

He thought that maybe he was hearing things. Surely she hadn't just asked him to kiss her. He wasn't so sure he wanted to test his resistance where she was concerned. Hell, he still thought about the first kiss constantly. He didn't know what to say so when she grabbed his face in her hands, he remained silent until her lips touched his. Just that small brush made him want to wrap himself around her and bury himself inside of her like some kind of teenage schoolboy. It took every ounce of willpower he had to pull away from her.

"Can't be doin' that darlin'. It ain't appropriate." 

A look of hurt crossed her face. "You didn't mind it before."

Merle grimaced. He didn't know where this show of bravery was coming from. She never seemed like the type to make demands before. "And I shouldn't have done it. You're a lot younger than me. People will talk."

She jumped down from the railing and placed her hands on her hips. "Let them. I'm sick of being labeled as some kind of kid! I've got news for you, Merle Dixon! I'm not a kid; I'm a _woman_. If you can't see me as one then I feel sorry for you." Apparently done talking, she spun on her heel and stalked towards her car.

Merle stood there stunned for a few seconds. "Aw, hell no!" He muttered to himself and spun around to go after her. He caught up to her just as she was unlocking her car door. He grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. He pressed himself fully against her, placing a hand on either side of her on the car. Once he had her attention he stared at her intently for several seconds before lowering his lips to claim hers in a sizzling kiss. He was careful to keep his hands on the car, but it took everything he had to do it. He kissed her lightly at first, experimenting with her. He found out that she wasn't very skilled, but she was very eager. In a deep part of his mind, he was glad that she wasn't skilled. He deepened the kiss a little and she whimpered beneath him.

The sounds of people laughing and exiting the bar carried over to him and he broke away from her roughly. She stared up at him wide-eyed, her chest heaving and her lips slightly swollen. "How 'bout now, darlin'? That woman enough for ya? You come an' get me when you're ready to do them safe rides." He walked over to his bike a few feet away before turning back to her. "Not leavin' til ya get in your car darlin'."

She nodded mutely and he watched as she got into her car and started the engine. He just sat there on his bike and watched until he saw her tail lights disappear from view. Shaking his head, he fired up his bike.

...

Carol risked a glance at Daryl who sat next to her stiff and in silence now. She didn't really know what had happened. One minute, he had been enjoying his massage and the next he had been moving away from her rigidly. She couldn't figure him out. At times he seemed to be really into her and then he would pull away. He was the most complicated man she had ever met.

She sat there for a few minutes, contemplating. She wanted to know if he really felt anything for her or if she was reading him wrong. On the other hand, she didn't want to risk ruining the friendship that they had established. It took her several minutes more before she finally worked up the courage to do anything.

Shoving herself off the couch she moved and then straddled herself across his lap. She barely gave him any time at all for a reaction before she pressed her lips to his. She was encouraged by the fact that he was kissing her back, although rather sloppily. She snaked her tongue into his mouth and he groaned and wrapped his arms around her waist.

The sound of the door opening barely registered in her mind as she kissed Daryl the way she had dreamed of kissing him every night. She broke away long enough to glance up and meet Merle's gaze. He smirked at her.

"Well, well, well," he drawled.

"Get the hell out Merle." She very nearly growled the words before pressing her lips to Daryl's once more.

Merle stood there a moment longer, grinning. He let out a long whistle before going into his bedroom and shutting the door. Carol pushed him out of her mind and focused on how good Daryl's lips felt against her own. The more they kissed, the better he seemed to get at it. His hands had inched up her waist slightly until they were positioned high enough that when she moved his thumbs grazed her breasts.

She wasn't sure what had come over her at this point. She hadn't had sex in so long that she was pretty sure she could be considered a virgin again. She hadn't even had the _desire_ to have sex until Daryl. She had figured Ed had ruined her in that aspect but she had been wrong. She w _anted_ have sex with Daryl. She wanted it _bad_. She wanted it so much that she grabbed Daryl's hands and moved them to cup her breasts.

His eyes flared open and he stared at her for so long she began to worry if she had made the wrong move. Then his fingers skimmed lightly over her nipples and she leaned her head back with a low moan. She could feel his erection pressing into her from her position on his lap and she rubbed herself against him gently. Suddenly his hands dropped from her and she raised her head to stare at him curiously.

"I can't. I- I just can't." 

She tried to get her breathing under control and process what he had just said. _Had he just rejected her?_ She finally nodded and stood up shakily. She turned and walked into his bedroom on shaky legs. She shut the door and leaned against it for several minutes. She finally pushed away and dressed for bed. As she climbed under the covers and his scent hit her much as it did every night, she felt the hot tears sliding down her cheeks. She sniffed quietly and tried to bury her face in the pillow as she let out a sob.

The sound of the door clicking open barely registered in her mind until she felt a weight settle on the bed. She tried to discreetly wipe her face on the pillow even though it was dark and turned to find Daryl sitting on the edge of the bed. Without a word, she lifted up the covers in invitation and he dropped his pants before sliding beneath them. She lay there awkwardly, listening to the erratic beating of her own heart.

"Daryl?" She whispered. She could hear his light breathing.

He turned his head to her and she could barely make out his eyes in the dark. He scooted closer to her in the bed and draped an arm across her lightly. She burrowed into him, inhaling his scent and sighed. She may not understand him sometimes, but she did know that Daryl Dixon was a unique man.

And she was falling in love with him.

...............


	18. Chapter 18

**...**

Daryl woke up with something tickling his nose. Swiping at his face, he discovered Carol draped across him like a blanket, her hair near his face. This was the first time in his life that he had e _ver_ woken up next to a woman. It was a very foreign feeling for him, but he wasn't sure that he _didn't_ like it. The fact that they had slept together and they hadn't even had sex didn't escape him. He glanced at the bedside clock and knew that he needed to get up soon and get ready for work. At the moment though, he was surprised to find himself perfectly content to just lay there with Carol draped across him. She mumbled something and her leg brushed across his morning erection. He stiffened and prayed she hadn't felt it. His prayers went unanswered as Carol opened her eyes widely. She backed away from him slightly.

"Good morning." 

"Morning," he replied.

"I'm, uh, sorry I was hogging up all the space." 

He shrugged. "Didn't bother me." He was thinking about last night and how to explain why he had pulled away. The only thing was, _he_ wasn't sure he knew why he had pulled away. Maybe it was his nerves at the thought of not living up to her expectations, or maybe it was the fact that he wasn't sure if he was ready. Either way, he felt he owed her some kind of explanation.

"About last night," he began. "I uh, it didn't have anything to do with you. I mean, I really like you and I don't want you to get the wrong idea." 

She lay quietly next to him for a few minutes before speaking. "You're very confusing, you know that?"

Daryl smirked. "Seems I heard it before."

She rolled over to face him and smiled. She looked so perfect and happy that he was overcome with the urge to kiss her. He reached up a hand and gently drew her lips down to his. He groaned as they made contact. Her lips were soft and yielding above his and she shifted so that she was lying halfway on top of him. They kissed for a few minutes before she pulled away and glanced at the clock next to the bed.

"You better get going so you aren't running late. I'll make everyone some breakfast," she said softly.

He took several deep breaths and nodded. It scared him how quickly he was becoming addicted to her.

...

After seeing Daryl off to work, she placed Merle's plate of breakfast in the microwave. She showered and got dressed in her clothes for the day. He still hadn't come out of his room yet and Carol had things she needed to get done today. She hated to wake him but Daryl had said she needed someone with her at all times so she figured she had no choice. She crossed to his door and knocked softly. No answer. She knocked harder this time and waited. She still didn't get an answer so she sighed and slowly turned the knob. The door creaked open and she held her breath as her eyes fell on Merle sprawled out on his bed. She was thankful for the sheet covering his lower half because she had the feeling that he was probably one of those men that slept naked. She could make out the slight rise and fall of his chest so she knew he wasn't dead, just sleeping hard.

His room was pretty empty, aside from the bed. She had gotten used to that around here because the guys didn't have much in the way of furniture. She crossed over to the bed, stepping over clothes, various pieces of paper, and empty soda cans. She couldn't wait until the next time he went out to the garage because she was cleaning this room whether he liked it or not. It was filthy. He was snoring softly as she stopped at the edge of the bed. She tried not to giggle at his slightly open mouth. She reached out a hand to shake his shoulder gently when his hand shot up and wrapped around her wrist tightly.

Before she could even figure out what was happening, she found herself underneath a naked Merle. Her eyes grew wide. Apparently, Merle was just becoming aware of the situation too because he released her wrist and wiped at his eyes groggily.

She cleared her throat. "Merle?"

"What the hell ya doin' sneakin' up on somebody like that?" He grumbled.

"Merle?" 

"What?"

"Can you move off of me now?" She squeaked. She could feel something hard poking her in the leg and she tried not to think too much about it. She didn't think of Merle like that.

He had the good sense to look embarrassed as he rolled away from her, dragging the sheet with him. His embarrassment didn't last long though before he was smiling at her cheekily. She sat up on the edge of the bed and glared at him.

"Ya sure ya wanna stick with my brother? I can rock your world baby." Merle winked suggestively and laughed as he picked up some clothes from the floor and sniffed at them.

She grabbed one of his pillows and threw it at him as he disappeared out of the bedroom. She heard him laughing all the way into the bathroom before the door clicked shut. She smiled slightly and shook her head.

...

Carol got her first chance to ride a motorcycle after Merle finally got around to eating his breakfast. It was exhilarating and she was completely hooked. It gave her such a feeling of freedom. She wanted to ride with Daryl on his bike and she really hoped he got it fixed soon.

Merle claimed he had some business to take care of, so he said he would drop her off where she needed to go. She wanted to talk to a lawyer about a divorce from Ed. She still hadn't heard back from the sheriff, but she was tired of waiting. She wanted to see if there was anything she could do now. She didn't want to be tied to Ed anymore.

There weren't very many lawyers to choose from that specialized in divorce so she directed Merle to the only one she knew that did. Merle slowed the bike and coasted into the parking lot. She used his shoulder for leverage as she climbed off the back.

Merle cast her a sideways glance. "Hate lawyers," he muttered.

"You hate anyone with authority Merle." She smiled at him.

He considered that for a moment and then nodded. "Suppose I do." He glanced at the sign. "Ya think ya gonna be okay here by yourself until I come back?"

She looked around at the small brick building with the concrete pathway and hedges that were trimmed to perfection. There were only a couple of cars in the parking lot. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I'll wait inside when I'm done."

Merle nodded, but still hesitated like he was unsure. "I ain't gonna be gone long. Gotta talk to some buddies of mine 'bout some work."

"Take your time." Carol gave him a small wave and walked up the pathway as he fired up the bike. She spared another glance at him as she opened the door and he gestured for her to go inside as he sat there watching. She shook her head and walked inside, reveling in the cool air that the office held. The secretary up front gave her a small smile as she approached her desk.

"Hi! Can I help you?" 

Carol suddenly realized she might should have made an appointment. There wasn't anyone in the waiting room and that might mean that the man wasn't there. "My name is Carol Peletier. I'm here for some legal advice." 

The woman nodded and turned to her computer. "Did you have an appointment?" She began typing on her computer.

"No. I was hoping he might see me anyway."

The woman frowned for a minute disapprovingly and picked up her desk phone. She paused and looked up at Carol. "What is this concerning?"

"A divorce. I'm trying to divorce my husband."

The woman gave her a snide look that quickly disappeared as she began speaking to someone over the phone. Carol stood there awkwardly as the woman listened to whoever was on the line. She hated places like this. Lawyers made her nervous although she wasn't really sure why. The woman hung up the phone and gave her a fake smile.

"He'll see you in just a moment. Why don't you have a seat?" She gestured to the chairs off to the side.

"Thank you." Carol said. She sat down near a window and absently thumbed through a magazine as her thoughts drifted back to her night spent with Daryl. Somehow it meant more to her that they had slept together than if they had had sex. Just knowing that he was content just _being_ with her made her stomach flutter. She hoped that he was having a good day. Things had seemed a little more relaxed around them this morning, but the sexual tension was still there. She had felt it this morning as they had moved around each other. She smiled to herself. She felt like a teenager with a high school crush.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a door was opened and a man stepped into the doorway. She stood up as he smiled at her.

"Mrs. Peletier, I presume?" 

"Yes."

He held the door open wide and she slipped inside as he shut it behind them. He nodded to a chair in front of his desk as he walked around to the other side. He cleared his throat and held out a hand to shake hers.

"I'm Philip Blake. What can I do for you?" He smiled warmly.

"I want a divorce from my husband. I'm hoping you can help me," Carol replied.

He sat down and pulled out a notepad. "On what grounds?"

"Excuse me?" Carol asked. She wasn't sure she understood the question.

"Sorry." He smiled again, "Are you just not happy anymore, was there infidelity, or is it something else?" He rephrased.

Carol sat stiffly in the chair. "Abuse." 

Philip paused in his writing and sat back in his chair, regarding her for a few moments. "I see. Do you have any documentation of this abuse? Police records or hospital visits?"

"I don't personally have them. I just got out of the hospital not too long ago because he beat me badly."

"I see. Did you mention the source of the beatings while in the hospital?" He began scribbling on his paper furiously.

Carol fidgeted. "I think so. A lot of it's kind of blurry, because I was on strong pain medicine."

Philip put down his pen and steepled his fingers together underneath his chin thoughtfully as he regarded her. "Any witnesses?" He asked finally.

Carol started to shake her head then remembered something. "Sheriff Grimes and Officer Walsh can attest to what happened. They know Ed really well. It seems like everyone knew about it, even though I tried to hide it." She blushed and looked down at her feet.

"That happens more than you know. Alright," he sighed thoughtfully. "I'll see what I can do to help you Mrs. Peletier. Since there is a case of abuse being made, hopefully we can speed up the divorce process. Are you staying in the home or is your husband? What are the living arrangements?"

"I'm staying with friends. Ed is...actually I don't know _where_ Ed is. That's another thing. The police haven't been able to find him. I'm sure there will be charges when they do."

"I see," Philip repeated again. "I'll get in touch with the Sheriff and see what kind of documents I can gather for this case. Is there a number I can get in touch with you at?"

Carol shook her head. "No. But I can call you or stop back by," she offered.

He nodded. "Alright. Either one is fine. Sherry will give you one of my cards and a list of my fees on your way out. I only require one hundred dollars down now, and then the rest can be collected when we win the case."

"When?" 

Philip smiled wider this time. "I _never_ lose."

...

Carol waited in the lobby on Merle for over an hour, judging by the clock on the wall. It was well past lunch time when she finally decided to call a cab. She was growing increasingly worried about Merle. It wasn't like him to just forget about her. She directed the cab to their house and was surprised to see Daryl's truck sitting in the driveway as they pulled in. She paid the driver and stepped out of the cab as Daryl walked out onto the porch.

She could see his features tighten as he watched her get out of the cab alone. She didn't know what he was doing home so early, but she prayed Merle had a good excuse for leaving her stranded. She headed up the steps and stopped just in front of him. He hadn't said a thing but his expression troubled her. He looked very angry.

"What's wrong?" She asked. She had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach as she watched his jaw twitch.

"Sheriff came up at my job today." Daryl said gruffly.

Carol's heart skipped a beat. She knew what was coming, but she still had to ask. "And?" She whispered, fearing the worst.

"Merle got himself arrested."

............


	19. Chapter 19

**...**

Her gut clenched. She had known something was wrong. Merle had been doing so well; there had to be some kind of misunderstanding.

"Merle got _arrested_?" She asked in disbelief. There was no way. He was doing too good. She had just seen him _hours_ ago. _What could he have possibly done in a few hours?_

"Oh yeah. Seems he went and had himself some drinks today. Don't know where, but Sheriff Grimes says he was swerving all over the road on the bike right before he pulled him over. He couldn't even _walk straight_." Daryl's hands clenched into fists by his side. She could see him fighting back his anger. She touched him lightly on his arm and felt him tremble slightly.

Carol tried to imagine what Merle might have been thinking. It seemed odd to her that he would just get drunk like that when he knew he had to be back to pick her up. That wasn't like him. She had been around him enough to know.

"Something must have set him off to have him drink like that. He was fine when he dropped me off. He said he had some business to take care of," Carol said thoughtfully.

Daryl snorted. "Yeah, business. He had to get a taste of alcohol. He could have killed himself on that bike. He knows better than that shit. Should have known better than to think he would quit," Daryl muttered.

Carol's heart sank a little. She had really believed that Merle was done with that kind of thing. He hadn't drank at all that night at the bar. She really didn't understand it at all. "What are you going to do?" 

Daryl plopped down on the couch and placed his head in his hands before looking back up. "Gonna let his ass sit in there, that's what I'm gonna do. Maybe he might learn something. I don't have the money to bail him out anyway."

Carol sat down next to him and absentmindedly rubbed his back in a gentle circular motion. He was so tense underneath her hand and her heart ached for him. She hated seeing what this was doing to him. She was disappointed in Merle as well, but she knew that it went so much deeper for Daryl. She crawled behind Daryl and began trying to rub the tension from his shoulders. At first he stiffened but she kept going and he finally relaxed beneath her hands. She rubbed at a small knot beneath his shoulder blade and he groaned as his head drooped slightly.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that today. I know how embarrassing that must have been for you." 

"My boss sent me home so I could take care of it, but I'm not getting his ass out. Come to think of it, it's Friday. That means his ass is gotta sit there until Monday morning. Serves him right." Daryl's reply was slightly muffled because his head was hanging low between his shoulders as she continued to massage him.

"Are you gonna go see him?" 

Daryl was silent for so long that she thought he wasn't going to answer. "Maybe. I'm not today though. Won't do me no good to see him in the mood I'm in." 

Carol moved her hands down lower and pressed in to massage him on his lower back. He released a groan so sensual that she quivered a little on the inside. He turned around so that her hands fell and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly to him. She was a little surprised at first but then she returned the embrace. If this was what he needed, she would give it to him. They lay back against the couch for so long wrapped together, that she wasn't surprised when she heard his steady breathing indicating that he had fallen asleep. She smiled and snuggled into him, letting her own eyes drift close.

...

Daryl tensed as he tried to move his arm that had fallen asleep so that he could roll over. He grimaced and opened his eyes only to stare directly into the sleeping face of Carol. She was lying on his arm which explained why he couldn't move it. He squinted in the darkened living room. They must have slept a while because it appeared to be growing dark out judging from the lack of light coming in through the windows.

Carol turned slightly and stretched in his arms, giving him an enticing view of a sliver of her belly. She yawned and looked around sleepily, her eyes finally landing on his. She blushed a little. "That's the second time we've slept together and you haven't even taken me to dinner first," she joked softly.

He smiled. "We're gonna have to get up. My arm's falling asleep."

Carol blinked and then struggled to sit up so that he could move his arm. He flexed his arm and wiggled his fingers as she watched from her perch next to him. "You're in very good shape," she commented as her eyes trailed over him.

He glanced over at her out of the corner of his eye. He supposed that he was. He certainly spent a lot of time outdoors, even when he hadn't had a job. He was always trying to keep busy doing something. He shrugged. "Guess so."

He stiffened slightly as she trailed a finger down his arm and straight to his fingertips. He shivered and his eyes darkened as the effect of that finger went straight to his erection. He swallowed deeply and tried to control his thoughts so as not to embarrass the both of them.

"Daryl?" 

"Yeah?"

She stood up and came to stand in front of him, holding out her hand. He looked at her in curiosity. "Come with me."

He looked at her for a few more minutes, trying to read her before he finally stood and let her take his hand. He noticed that hers trembled slightly as she led him to his bedroom. His mouth went dry. He started to shut the door but then remembered that they had the house to themselves so he left it open just a crack. He was so nervous he could barely will his body to move. Somehow his feet carried him over to the end of the bed and she turned to stare up at him.

She traced one finger just underneath the edge of his shirt and he sucked in a breath. Her eyes flitted up to his in question. He swallowed and tilted her chin up slightly to press his lips to hers. He just had to keep it together. He didn't want her to think he was some kind of bumbling idiot. As he pressed his lips to hers, she hesitantly trailed her tongue into his mouth and tangled it with his. He growled low in his throat and his hands came to rest on her hips. She pressed herself into him slightly and her breath hitched as she rubbed against his swollen erection. He broke the kiss to suck in a deep breath and they stared at each other for several long heartbeats.

She slowly raised her arms into the air and he tugged gently on her shirt until he had it over her head. Her pale pink bra grabbed at his attention and his mind went blank of all thought. She shivered under his gaze.

"Daryl," she breathed. His eyes snapped back up to hers and without thinking he pressed her against the wall and drank in his fill of her body. She ran her hand lightly over his cheek and he trembled. "I love that I can do that to you." Her voice was filled with awe.

He growled low in his throat and lifted her hands to pin them to the wall above her head. "That's not all you do to me," he whispered huskily as he pressed himself closer to her. He nibbled at her neck and inhaled the scent of her perfume. He kept her wrists pinned with one hand, and with the other he explored her body just as he had thought about doing every night since they met. She was perfect in every way and he loved the way she shivered as he traced patterns over her pale skin.

"Take off your shirt for me... _please_." 

He hesitated for a few minutes, his eyes boring into hers. He sighed and slowly released her hands. Taking a step back he kicked off his boots and then lifted the hem of his tank.

...

Carol watched in utter fascination as Daryl lifted the shirt over his head. It was growing darker in the room, the only light they now had coming from the streetlight glowing faintly through the windows. It was enough to make out every well defined muscle and her eyes drank it all in from top to bottom. He had a light dusting of hair just below well defined pecs and it tapered off down to his belly button that was barely visible above the waist of his jeans. He stood there, breathing heavily as she studied him. She reached out a hand and lightly traced over a scar that was barely visible in the dimly lit room. He didn't move, but she could feel the light quiver of his skin. She placed a kiss on his shoulder and crossed around behind him.

The man was beautiful. There was no other word to describe it. He had no idea how beautiful he was inside and out. She ran a hand over his back and almost gasped aloud. Loud, angry, scars mauled his back and her fingers shook slightly as she traced over the more prominent one. He hissed and the muscles on his back tightened.

"Sorry," he muttered softly, "I know they're ugly." He hung his head as if anticipating her rejection. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. Reaching around him she grabbed his hand and turned him around. Still grasping his hand in hers, she turned her back to him and let his hand trail over it and to the scar that she carried on her person as well. His fingers traced the length of the scar and then she felt the briefest touch of his lips upon it. His hands dropped and she turned to face him again.

"See? We're more alike than you thought. We've both had our battles." 

"I'm gonna kill that bastard," he muttered through clenched teeth.

She placed a finger over his lips. "Shh...Don't ruin the moment." His mouth opened and her fingers slipped inside and he sucked on them gently causing her pulse to race as they stared at one another in the barely lit room. She moaned and tipped her head back. He released her fingers and his lips fell to her collarbone as he rained light kisses there. Her legs trembled at the effort to hold her up and he walked her backwards towards the bed as if he could sense they were going to give out on her. She lay back on the bed and began fumbling with the button of her jeans but he pushed her hands away and took over the task. His big fingers managed to get the job done far quicker than she would have thought and he pressed a kiss on the sliver of belly that was revealed as he began to slide her jeans off. He tossed them to the side and she sat up to do the same for him. She gasped as she slid his jeans down. He didn't have on anything underneath them. She glanced up at him and he shrugged slightly. Her eyes trailed to his erection and she sucked in a breath.

Before she could stop herself, her hand drifted out and she wrapped it around him softly. He groaned and thrust forward a little in her hand. She ran her hand over him, admiring the silky feel of his skin and he pushed her away gently.

"Gonna be over before it starts if you don't stop doing that," he muttered.

She blushed, "Sorry."

...

Daryl thought for sure he was going to die right now and he would still be a virgin. Just looking at Carol lying there on his bed made his pulse jump overtime at the base of his throat.

"You're so fucking beautiful." 

He thought she blushed, but he couldn't tell in the faint light. "No one has ever told me that before." 

His gut clenched. Of course Ed had never told her that. Fat bastard. He wanted to kill him all over again, but he suppressed the urge and stared down at her eyes that now looked watery. "You should be told every day," he whispered.

She didn't answer and reached up to pull him down to her. Their mouths crashed together in a molten heat that left them both struggling for breath. She raked her nails over his back and he had to fight back a groan. She reached behind her and unfastened her bra, dropping it over the edge of the bed. He stared down at her perky breasts that he remembered so well from the other night. Dipping his head, he sucked in a nipple. He remembered how she had responded to him doing that last time and she didn't disappoint. She tangled her hands in his hair and held him to her, her body stretched taut beneath him. He tried to do what he thought would feel good and he hoped that she would feel the same way.

He hooked a finger in her panties and eased them down her legs. He trailed his fingers down her belly and lingered just above the juncture of her legs. She must have sensed his hesitation because she moved his hand until it was resting at the center. He tentatively stroked one finger inside of her and she cried out, her hands fisting in the sheets. Encouraged, he stroked deeper and she spread her legs slightly. He could feel her squeezing tight to his finger and that was almost his undoing. He fought the waves of desire that gripped him. The last thing he needed was to have this over before they got going good. He explored with his finger inside of her, testing out what made her cry out and what made her pant.

Finally she grabbed at his wrist. "Please," she begged. He withdrew his hand and then came to a startling conclusion. _He didn't have any condoms._ He almost growled out loud. She leaned up on her elbows. "What is it?"

"I don't have any condoms. I'm gonna go check Merle's room." 

"No. I'm on the pill. We don't need them." 

"You sure?" His voice was rough and barely understandable. She nodded.

He climbed back down on the bed and poised himself over her, unsure of whether or not to continue with the foreplay or to just enter her. She solved his dilemma by grabbing him with her hand to guide him into her. She let go as his tip sank into her and he let out something that sounded like a half-growl/half-moan, as he sank into her fully. He buried his face into her neck and panted furiously.

...

Both of them went utterly still and Carol could feel his trembling as she felt her own body stretch to accommodate him. This wasn't her first time having sex, but it certainly felt like it the way her body felt so tight around him. He looked down at her questioningly.

"You alright?" He asked gruffly.

She arched her hips against him in response and moaned at the feel of his rigid length sliding in and out of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist as they finally fell into a slow rhythm that grew increasingly faster as they both sought out their release. He braced himself on his forearms in order to keep most of his weight off of her. She could feel the trembling in his arms and she caressed his cheek with her hand. She could feel the tiny beads of sweat forming on his brow.

"Carol..." He grunted. "I'm not gonna last. Please come for me."

She felt his words wash over her and she raised her hips to meet his a few more times before she felt the sensations spiraling within her, the pleasure washing over her. She cried out as she rode out the wave in abandon. Over her, she heard Daryl grunt and then his low feral moan as he found his own blinding release.

He collapsed over her and she could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest. It was several minutes before either of them spoke. She lay there contentedly next to him and tangled her fingers in the light sprinkling of his chest hair.

"Daryl Dixon, you've been holding out on me," she murmured teasingly.

She could feel his smile against her skin. "I never knew it could be like this."

She turned to try and see his face in the dark. "So you were a virgin?"

He cleared his throat and shifted slightly. "I've never had any time or any interest in women like that before," he said defensively.

Her heart swelled. _She was his first._ "I can't believe it was your first time." 

"Why is that?" He grumbled with a red face.

"Daryl, in case you didn't notice - you were _amazing_." It was the truth. She never would have known he was a virgin if Merle hadn't made remarks about it. She never knew when Merle was just teasing sometimes though and it was odd to hear Daryl admit it.

He gave her a smile then. "You were pretty amazing yourself." He pressed a light kiss to her forehead and she snuggled into him as he pulled the sheet over their naked bodies. She sighed contentedly and drifted off to sleep for the third time in Daryl Dixon's arms.

....................


	20. Chapter 20

**...**

Carol's body felt like it was on fire. She remembered the feel of Daryl's hands on her all too well. Every stroke of his finger had threatened to send her over the edge. She moaned and twisted her hands into the sheets. Reaching out blindly, she tried to snuggle up to his warmth. That was when she realized that she wasn't dreaming.

Daryl's fingers teased her with gentle strokes. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and locked onto his. The intensely erotic look he was giving her made her legs quiver more than they already were. He didn't break eye contact and kept up his assault on her body. She moaned under him again and his mouth quirked up a little.

"What are you smiling at?" She panted.

He chuckled. "You're kind of loud. Gonna have to get a gag to keep you quiet." She gave him a dirty look that was quickly replaced by one of pleasure as he removed his fingers to hoist himself over her. He paused briefly before entering her in one smooth thrust that had her closing her eyes again, her hips arching up to meet his. She met him thrust for thrust as her body began to build towards her orgasm. His lips on her neck nibbled at her skin softly. She reached up to thread her fingers through his slightly shaggy hair. She loved the feel of his hair through her fingers. His tongue sent tiny shivers through her body as he moved to lick the shell of her ear. She sucked in a breath and then her body shuddered as she cried out his name through her release. His body tensed above hers and he groaned deeply. His jaw clenched tight and his muscles tightened as he rode out his own wave of pleasure. He nuzzled his face into her neck, his breath coming in pants. She wrapped her arms around him contentedly as their wildly beating hearts began to slow to their normal pace.

Being with Daryl was everything she had imagined it would be. He was gentle yet firm all at the same time and he was driving her crazy with need. She couldn't believe it had finally happened. She had _wanted_ it to happen for some time now, but Daryl was a hard man to read. She hadn't had any idea that he might want the same thing because he kept giving her mixed signals. Last night had been incredible. She had _never_ had sex like that before. Sex with Ed had always been about her wanting to get it over with as soon as possible. She had learned early on that it was best not to fight him when he wanted it. He would only end up forcing her and making her regret it in the end. She had never known the pleasure that anyone else had found during sex. In fact, she was pretty sure that she had had her first orgasm with Daryl last night.

"What you thinking so hard about?" His voice rumbled through her thoughts. He wasn't looking at her and his hands were lightly stroking over every inch of her skin as if he were trying to commit it to memory. She took a minute to admire the view. His skin was coated in a fine layer of sweat and pieces of his hair stuck to his forehead. He looked totally relaxed and incredibly sexy.

"I was just thinking that I finally know what an orgasm really feels like." 

He raised a brow and paused with his exploration. She noticed that his face flushed a little. "You never had one before? But I thought you and Ed..."

She shook her head. "I never felt like that."

He looked so smug that she tried to hold back a grin. "Well isn't that something?" He muttered.

She smacked him playfully on the arm. "Don't let it go to your head." She tried to keep a serious face, but she ended up bursting out into a smile which he returned.

...

After a late breakfast and a shower, they climbed into the truck and Daryl drove them over to the jail. The playfulness of earlier was gone, replaced now by a deafening silence as his thoughts drifted back to Merle. He hated to admit that Merle had disappointed him. He had spent his whole life trying not to let himself get too invested in anything so that he wouldn't ever have to suffer through disappointment. But he had truly thought that he had began to see a change in Merle, but once again, Merle had went back to doing what Merle did best: getting into trouble. He shook his head to try and clear his thoughts. It would be better if he didn't go in there in a complete rage because he might just wring his neck.

He glanced over at Carol and saw that she had slipped out of her shoes and propped her feet on the dash trying to take advantage of the wind coming through the open windows. He turned back to the road but the image of her legs were imprinted in his brain. He could still feel her in his mind as he had ran his hands over every inch of her. He still couldn't believe they had had sex. Despite the fact that he had not had any idea what he was really doing, he knew she had enjoyed herself. He wondered if it was like that with everyone or if it was just because it was Carol.

She began humming along to the radio and they exchanged a smile. He cared about her a lot. Somehow she had completely drifted under his skin and he felt an even more intense urge to keep her safe. He couldn't wait to get his hands on Ed. Feeling that scar on her back last night had almost been his undoing. It had taken everything he had not to leave and hunt the bastard down. His hands trembled slightly even now as he thought about it. That was something that Daryl firmly believed in; you never hit a woman, _ever_. And as he half listened to Carol continue to hum, he vowed that he would do whatever was needed to keep her safe.

...

Daryl pulled into a parking spot at the jail and he and Carol climbed out. They walked inside to the front desk where a lady was typing onto a computer. She glanced up at them briefly as they entered and gave them a small smile. She looked very friendly and definitely not someone Daryl could see working at a jail. She seemed more the type to be helping at an old folk's home than somewhere criminals frequented. He should know everyone by name as much as he had had to come bail Merle out over the years, but he didn't recognize her. Her brown hair was cut short and it looked like she had just run her fingers through it instead of brushing it. He was about to speak when Carol jumped ahead of him.

"Maggie Greene?" 

The girl stopped chewing on her gum to stare curiously at Carol. "Yeah?" 

"We went to school together. I'm Carol Pele-, I mean Carol Hodge."

Daryl raised a brow at her last name. It struck him then how little he really knew about her besides that she had been married to a douchebag of a husband. As the two women began to chatter, he looked around towards the back. A scowl crept over his face as Shane Walsh came striding out from the holding area. Shane glanced up as he was about to sit at a desk and their eyes met. Smirking, he avoided the desk and kept walking up to the front instead. Daryl tried to hold back his annoyance as Shane came to a stop at the counter.

"Well, well, glad you're here Dixon. Your brother isn't being very appreciative of our hospitality. We gave him a nice bed and a hot meal, but he's still griping about being mistreated." Shane gave him a cocky smile. Daryl watched as his eyes flicked over to Carol and he straightened. "Hey Carol, how are you?" Shane asked.

Carol paused in her conversation with Maggie and gave Shane a small smile. "I'm okay, Shane. Thanks for asking."

She turned to continue her conversation, but Shane started speaking again. Daryl was getting annoyed. "We're still lookin' for Ed. I've got deputies in other counties keeping an eye out in case he tries to skip town." He seemed to be seeking some kind of praise. Daryl smirked.  _What does he want a fuckin' gold star?_

Carol nodded. "Okay, thanks." She glanced at Daryl warmly and he smiled back at her just to get under Shane's skin. It seemed to work because Shane huffed and gave Daryl an impatient look.

"So what can I do for ya Dixon? You know he can't get out 'til Monday morning," Shane said impatiently.

"I know. I wanna see him." Daryl waited for Shane to try and refuse him. He knew his rights and he was allowed to visit his brother. Surprisingly, Shane shrugged and buzzed the door open for him without argument. He followed Daryl back to the door that opened to the cells and buzzed it open so that Daryl could walk through.

"You get thirty minutes," Shane called. Daryl resisted the urge to flip him off as he walked through. As the door swung shut and locked behind him, Daryl tried not to tense. Even though he wasn't in any trouble, being back here still made him nervous. He didn't intend on staying any longer than he had to. He passed by one cell that held a thin man who was snoring loudly. Daryl didn't have to wander far to find his brother though. As usual, he heard him before he saw him.

"Hey man! You can come get this shit ya call food! I ain't eating it! I want a lawyer! You hear me, Walsh?" Merle rattled the bars slightly. Despite his anger Daryl smirked. Leave it to Merle to be locked up and still make demands. He shook his head as he walked in front of the cell. Merle spotted him and narrowed his eyes. "Where ya been little brother?" Merle asked. "The sheriff done told me he let ya know where I was."

Daryl stopped in front of the cell and crossed his arms as he stared at Merle. He looked like hell. His hair was sticking up in random places and his eyes were bloodshot. Daryl had seen him like that plenty of times after a hard night of partying. "Yeah, he told me."

"Why didn't ya come an' get me out yesterday? Now I got to spend all weekend in this hell hole," Merle griped.

Daryl tried to keep his temper in check. "Good! Maybe it will teach you a lesson! How could you go and pull this shit Merle?"

Merle gripped the bars. "Oh yeah! I'm always the fuck-up, right?" Merle snapped.

Daryl stuck his finger at Merle in anger. "Damn right! God forbid I get in trouble! Won't be anybody to come and bail your sorry ass out of jail! I'm tired of it Merle!" Daryl turned away from him and tried to take deep breaths.

Merle tilted his head and studied Daryl quietly. When he spoke again, most of the anger had left his voice. "It wasn't me." Daryl scoffed, but Merle reached out to grab him by the shirt. He pulled him firmly against the bars so that they were eye to eye. " _It_. _Wasn't_. _Me_." 

Daryl tried to search his eyes for any indication that he was lying. He couldn't tell if he was or not and it frustrated him. He _wanted_ to believe his brother, but he knew how he was. "You expect me to believe that?" Daryl growled.

"I didn't drink no alcohol brother. I dropped Carol off at that lawyers office an' went to talk to Hank about workin' this week. I didn't drink nothin' but a cold soda." 

Daryl frowned. His brother had to know that he would check with Hank about that. He scratched his head as he tried to figure out what was going on. Something about the whole situation wasn't sitting right with him. "Well how the hell was your ass swerving all over the road like Sheriff Grimes said?"

Merle shrugged, "Been trying to figure that one out myself brother." Both of their heads turned as the door was buzzed open and Carol walked inside. She had a stern look on her face and when Daryl looked at Merle he was surprised to see Merle looking down at the floor like he was ashamed. That was something that didn't happen everyday.

Carol walked right up to the cell and stared at Merle until he finally looked at her. "What happened to you?" Carol asked quietly.

Merle rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to pick ya back up," he muttered. "Everything's fuzzy an' I ain't quite sure what happened." Daryl listened as Merle filled her in on everything he had just told him moments ago.

"Who gave you the drink?" Daryl asked suddenly.

They both looked at him in surprise, as if they had forgotten he was even there. Merle thought about it for a few minutes. "I think I grabbed it," he finally said.

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "You  _think_?" 

Merle shrugged. "It's hard to remember. The details are foggy. It's like I was up all night shootin' up or somethin'. But I ain't had nothin', I swear to ya! I'd own up to my mistake if I had, but I ain't!" Merle shook the bars in frustration.

Daryl sighed and his shoulders slumped. He was trying to figure out what happened, but it was clear to him now that Merle was lying about something."We'll try to come back by tomorrow. I'll be speaking to the sheriff." Carol walked over and took his hand. Merle's eyes narrowed in on the gesture, but he chose to remain quiet. Carol's eyes remained downcast and Daryl knew she was hurting over Merle's setback. She had really been pulling for him. They started to turn and leave when Merle started to speak.

"Neither of ya gotta believe me. It's alright... I don't blame ya none. I ain't had nothin'. I swear to ya. But I _will_ be findin' out what's going on. You can count on that." Merle's voice was dangerously soft.

Carol started to walk back over to the cell, but Daryl tugged on her hand gently. "No. Leave him be. We'll be back tomorrow."

...........


	21. Chapter 21

**...**

Merle paced the tiny cell after Daryl and Carol left. He had already known Daryl wouldn't believe that he hadn't been drinking. He knew he didn't exactly have the best track record. He was just going to have to prove to his brother that he was serious this time. He really was innocent. He almost laughed at himself. Merle and the word " _innocent"_ didn't necessarily go hand in hand.

It was the look on Carol's face that had damn near killed him. She had looked at him like she didn't know who he was anymore. That woman had really gotten under his skin. Despite his efforts to keep himself detached from emotions of any kind, she had slipped right under his radar. He had come to care for her a great deal, though not in a romantic sort of way. Merle wasn't romantic, but he thought of Carol as more of a close friend or annoying sister, depending on his mood at the time. She listened to him and seemed to believe everything he said without question. No one had ever believed in him like that. Except for this time, this time she looked like she had _wanted_ to believe him, but she had still looked doubtful.

He tried to focus back on the events of yesterday again. He had gone over it in his mind a thousand times. He had dropped Carol off at her lawyer and headed straight over to Hank's garage. Rumor had it that one of Hank's employees had up and quit on him and Merle wanted to see about taking on a more permanent position. Hank hadn't had much work going on right now though, but he had told Merle to check with him the next week. He had stood around a few minutes, shooting the shit with the others. He remembered grabbing a soda from the cooler and drinking it. That's when things had started getting blurry. He vaguely remembered someone walking up that he knew, but he couldn't remember who. It wasn't exactly helpful though because Merle knew just about every damn body.

He sighed. He needed to get out of this hell hole so that he could do some investigating of his own. If he had to put up with that dickhead Shane Walsh much longer, he was going to punch him in his eye much like he had done back in high school. The little prick was strutting about throwing around his authority and it was pissing Merle off.

He walked over to the tiny sink in the corner and washed his face off. He wanted to take a shower, but that wasn't an option right now. He lay down on the hard cot and stared at the ceiling. He could still hear the other man a few cells down snoring. He was bored out of his mind.

The sound of the outer door opening had his ears perking up. He kept one eye on the walkway and listened to the patter of feet. He frowned. None of the officers walked that softly. Sitting up, he watched as the figure came into view.

If anyone had ever told Merle Dixon that he would ever be embarrassed to be seen in a jail cell, he would have laughed at them. Merle had no feelings. He was hardcore all the way. Except when it came to Carol who had worked him a little, but now he was faced with the one who had burrowed further under his radar than Carol had ever dreamed of going.

He prayed for a hole to open in the floor and swallow him up as Beth Greene stared at him from the other side of the bars.

…

Daryl hadn't spoken much since they had arrived back at the house from the jail. She could tell he was worrying himself over Merle. He had given her a swift kiss on the lips and gone outside to the garage. She had watched from the kitchen window as he disappeared inside and moments later loud rock music could be heard. She shook her head at how much he was like Merle at times even though he wouldn't ever admit it. She decided to leave him alone for a bit and crossed to the fridge to make some sandwiches for lunch. As she busied herself with making them, her thoughts drifted to Merle again.

She wasn't so sure that he _wasn't_ telling the truth. At first she had thought what Daryl had, that he had just slipped up and didn't want to own up to it. Then the more she had studied him, the more she had begun to wonder if somebody _had_ set him up. She had seen the determined look on his face. She had also seen the fleeting look of hurt that had passed as he realized that his own brother didn't believe him. Hearing him say that he would be finding out the truth as they were leaving bothered her. _Why would he bother saying anything about finding out the truth if he was guilty? It's not like Merle usually cared what anyone thought._

She placed Daryl's sandwich on a plate next to hers and added some chips and a couple of drinks. Balancing them all in her hands, she finally was able to maneuver the door open and close it behind her as she crossed to the garage. It sounded like a rock band was having a concert in the backyard. She set the plate and drinks on the shelf next to the radio as her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the garage. She was surprised to find Daryl working on his bike. She hadn't seen him touch it once since she had been here. She grabbed one of the drinks and crossed over to where he was lying on his back next to the bike.

She took a moment to drink him in with her eyes. Now that she knew what his body looked like she no longer had to use her imagination. She watched as his forearms flexed and twisted as he worked at loosening some sort of bolt that seemed to be holding something together near the tire. She couldn't see his whole face, but she could see enough to know that he was biting on his lip. She imagined herself biting his lip and running her hands down the hard planes of his stomach. She shook herself out of her fantasy and shifted a little so that she was in his line of sight.

His eyes flicked to hers for several beats and then he held up a finger to signal he needed a minute. She watched the lines crease his face as he bit down harder and gripped the wrench. She could see him mutter something, but couldn't make out what over the blaring of the music. She figured it was probably something vulgar. A few seconds later she saw the bolt fall onto the ground and he lay back on the ground for a few minutes before coming to his feet. He crossed over to the radio and turned it down to an appropriate level for conversation before he picked up a towel and began wiping his hands on it.

She offered the soda to him and he accepted it gratefully. She watched in amusement as he popped the top and downed the whole contents in a matter of a minute or two. He glanced at the plate that held the sandwiches and chips.

"You brought me lunch? I could have come inside. You didn't have to go to any trouble." 

She shrugged. "I know. But it wasn't any trouble and I figured you could eat." She picked up her drink and opened it, taking a few sips. It was hot outside and even though they weren't directly in the sun inside the garage, it was still stuffy. He picked up his sandwich and took a couple of bites and she followed suit. They stood in a companionable silence as they each devoured their food. She must have been hungrier than she had realized.

She went to take another drink and frowned as she realized her can was empty. Flicking her eyes to Daryl, she saw him smile sheepishly. "Did you drink my soda?" 

He shrugged. "Wasn't me."

She watched as a smile played at the corners of his mouth. She narrowed her eyes at him but he turned towards the bike. She reached over and pressed her lips against his ear, teasing him by blowing softly against his skin. She felt him shiver and then his arm snaked around her waist.

"Did you drink my soda?" She asked again. She snaked her arms behind him and grabbed onto a small cup of what looked like some kind of motor oil.

"Nope." He stared her dead in the eyes. She slowly dropped her hands down by her sides, keeping the cup out of his view. She smiled mischievously. He eyed her skeptically. "What are you doing? He asked suspiciously.

She shrugged, mimicking his movements from earlier. "Nothin'." She leaned forward as if she was going to kiss him, but instead she poured the oily substance down the front of his shirt. His arm fell from her waist and he stood there in shocked silence for several heartbeats before looking at her. Her eyes were dancing with mischief. He grinned at her evilly and she began making a slow backwards retreat.

"Carol?" 

She was trying desperately to keep from laughing at him. The oil had drenched his whole shirt and she could see it slowly dripping onto his pants. He was oddly calm and now she was beginning to wonder what she had been thinking to go and tease a Dixon like that. She didn't even know how Daryl responded to teasing, but this was the most fun she had had in a long time. "Hmm?" She asked.

"You ever play hide and seek as a child?" He asked softly. The question caught her off guard and she shook her head yes. He smiled at her. "Good. Cause you got thirty seconds to hide before I come find you." He smirked and looked down at his oil covered clothing for the beat of several seconds. "Twenty," he said darkly.

Heart pounding with excitement, she took off at a run. She barely made it around the house before his strong arms circled her waist and he tackled her gently to the ground. Laughing as he rubbed his oily body on hers, she struggled to get away. He smiled down at her and pinned her arms down by her sides as he made sure she got drenched in oil as well. Their oil slicked bodies were causing a delicious friction between them and she tried to remain focused. She felt the change in the atmosphere as his smile faded and his eyes became heated. He leaned down and she closed her eyes in anticipation of his kiss when they heard a vehicle pull into the driveway.

…

"What are you doin' in here?" Merle asked Beth.

She put her hands on her hips. "I should be asking you the same thing, Merle Dixon. What's this I hear 'bout you drinking and driving?"

He groaned. He didn't even have to ask how she had heard about him being in here. He really _hated_ small towns sometimes. People just didn't know how to mind their own damn business. He really didn't want to see her right now, but that didn't stop his eyes from drinking her in like a man dying of thirst. He didn't want her to see him like this but he couldn't make himself send her away. "I was set up," he responded gruffly.

Her mouth dropped open softly and she shifted closer to the bars. "What happened?" 

He almost wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. Here was a little slip of a girl who wasn't even questioning his credibility when his own brother wouldn't even believe him. Go figure. He ran his fingers through his hair and he walked up to press his forehead against the bars. "I ain't sure. I only remember droppin' Carol off at a lawyer office an' going to see 'bout some work. I grabbed a soda an' shot the shit with some people then got back onto my bike. Some of the details are kinda fuzzy. I feel like I spent the damn night partyin', but I swear I ain't had nothin'!" He looked away from her kind eyes, unable to take it if he were to see pity in them.

 _Jesus Merle, you sound like a desperate pussy! Get it together man. Ain't no time to be wiggin' out._ He growled in frustration and he felt her soft delicate fingers touch his hands that were gripping the bars tightly. He lifted his eyes to find her smiling at him softly.

"Don't worry. We'll find out what's going on," she stated confidently. Just like that. She believed everything he said and now she was offering to help him find out what was going on. For a crazy minute, he wondered if he was feeling some kind of weird after effects of whatever he had been given and that she was just a figment of his imagination. He must have been staring at her funny because her hand tightened over his. "Merle?" 

He swallowed and slowly pulled his hands back through the bars.

"Ain't gonna be no _we_ darlin'. I ain't gettin' you tangled up in this mess. You can forget it."

.............


	22. Chapter 22

**...**

Daryl didn't end up going to see Merle again on Sunday. He had spent much of the day out in the garage with Carol, working on his bike. Tyreese had driven up Saturday afternoon just as things had been heating up with Carol and their little impromptu game of hide and seek. Daryl had been a little grumpy that things had been interrupted, but Carol hadn't seemed to mind so much and he wondered if maybe he had been reading her wrong. Tyreese had laughed at their appearance and they had taken turns washing each other off with the water hose so that they didn't drip oil all in the house. Carol had invited Tyreese over for dinner and it had been really nice to be so relaxed for a change. Tyreese had been real excited over seeing his bike, and that had gotten Daryl excited to show it off. He was almost finished with it now and he couldn't wait to get back on it again. It would be even better this time because he could take Carol on it. He was looking forward to a nice long ride with her behind him, her arms wrapped around his waist.

Time had gotten away from them and before they knew it, the weekend had been over. He and Carol had stayed up late watching a movie and ended up falling asleep on the couch last night. She had tugged him up and he had followed her numbly into bed some time early this morning and they had fallen back asleep, wrapped up in each others arms.

The whole idea of being with a woman, being with _Carol,_ was still new to him. He wasn't sure what happened from here on out or if she wanted more out of this whole thing than he did. He wasn't sure what to call what they had. Then he remembered that she was still technically married and he supposed that some people could consider this an affair. He wondered if they could speed the divorce process along some. He didn't know much about divorces or how long it took to get one, but he didn't like the fact that she was still tied to Ed.

He rubbed his forehead and glanced over at Carol who had her head on her own pillow, but her legs tangled up with his. She looked so frail in her sleep, not at all the little firecracker he knew that she could sometimes be. He wondered again for the thousandth time how she had ended up married to Ed. She didn't seem that gullible to him, but then again he was no expert on women. He eased out from under the covers and stretched before heading to the bathroom. He stripped out of his clothes and turned on the water until it was steamy before stepping in.

His ears perked up a little at the sound of the door being opened. He raised a brow and turned as Carol poked her head around the shower curtain. Eyeing him up and down, she gave him a big sleepy grin.

"Mind if I join you?" 

 _Was she seriously asking him if he minded sharing a shower with her?_ He shrugged and tried to play it cool. "Sure."

She flashed another smile and her head disappeared for a few minutes as he heard the dull sound of clothes hitting the floor. Then she was back, slipping into the small space behind him. They hadn't done anything since that first night and morning, and he wasn't sure how to go about initiating anything else with her. Sometimes he would get the idea that she might be in the mood, but by the time he worked up the nerve to attempt to do anything about it, something always came up.

Now here they were, showering together like they had been doing it for months when it was actually their first time. He grabbed the shampoo and squeezed a small bit into the palm of his hand before rubbing it through his hair. She reached out and tugged his hands away and replaced them with hers, her fingers making circular massaging motions. He groaned and dropped his head a little to give her better access. He could feel himself growing hard and he suddenly felt ashamed. _What if she wasn't in the mood to have sex? What if she just wanted to shower?_ He tried to will himself back down, but it was no easy task with her naked breasts so close to his face.

"Rinse," she commanded.

He leaned his head back and ran his fingers through his hair to rid it of the shampoo. As he was rinsing out the last bit, he felt her take him in his hand. Hissing in a breath, his head snapped up. She paused and looked at him questioningly.

"What are you doing?" His voice came out gruff.

She gave him a soft smile. "Just relax and enjoy it."

He stood rather stiffly as she continued to glide her soapy hands up and down his erection. He reached out a hand and braced himself against the tiled wall surrounding the tub. Biting back a groan, he tried to focus on not blowing his load in the first two minutes. Her hands briefly left him and to his shock she moved to get on her knees. Heart pounding, he grabbed her by the arms to pull her back up. She looked at him with a startled expression.

"What-" 

"No. You don't have to do that. I don't want you kneeling down there like you're beneath me or something. We're equals and if you want to touch it then it's okay, just don't do that." He couldn't stand the thought of her doing _that_. It made him feel like he was paying her to service him or something. It made him feel like she was some kind of whore and she was anything but. It made the whole situation feel cheap. He noticed that she was still standing there staring at him. He grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her in for a kiss. After a few minutes, she began to loosen up some and eventually her hands traveled back down to him. She looked at him questioningly and he just nodded, too entranced to say anything.

She continued stroking him and he tried to figure out if he should be doing something for her. He battled for a minute on where he should put his hands, but her hands were being so distracting that he couldn't think clearly. He finally just leaned over and started kissing her on the neck. She had a light flowery sort of scent about her that he was beginning to really like. He groaned as she began to stroke slower and he reached his hand down to cover hers and show her the pressure that he liked. When he glanced back at her, he saw that she was completely entranced by what she was doing and his face grew red. This was intimate. It was even more intimate than having sex because he felt like he was on some sort of display as her eyes drank him in. He swallowed and let out a low groan as she stepped a little closer and kissed him, her tongue darting lightly into his mouth. He kissed her back until he felt himself gaining on his release. She pressed a kiss to his neck and he tensed as he exploded underneath her hands. He tried to back away from her so as not to spill himself onto her belly, but she refused to let go until she had milked out every last drop. He took a few deep breaths and leaned his head against the tile while she stepped under the spray to clean herself off.

When she was done, he reached for her to try and reciprocate in some way but she pushed his hands gently away. "That was for you." 

He frowned. "Let me return the favor."

She shook her head no and kissed him, "Later." 

He pressed a light kiss to her lips then and stepped out, grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist. Opening the bathroom door, he was intent on getting some clean clothes and didn't see Merle until he had almost run right into him.

...

Merle stood a few feet in front of the bathroom door with his arms crossed as he listened to the slight grunts and groans coming from the shower. He smirked. He couldn't believe it. His baby brother was finally getting his dick wet. It had only taken him thirty fucking years, but he had finally done it. The door opened a few minutes later, and a distracted Daryl walked out wearing only a towel. He looked up, startled as he almost ran into Merle.

"Merle?" 

"In the flesh brother...although it looks like I'm not the only one." Merle smirked.

"I was about to come and bail you out. How the hell did you get here?" Daryl asked.

Merle walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a drink out of the fridge while Daryl followed, apparently having forgotten he was wearing only a towel. Merle popped the top on a can of soda and took a long swig before answering Daryl.

"Called up one a them bail bondsmen. Got him to come an' bail me out. I knew we was low on funds," Merle explained.

Daryl scratched his head while keeping one hand on his towel. "How the hell you manage that without any damn money? Don't they require a down payment or somethin'?"

Merle nodded. "Yep. Fortunately for us lil' brother, I'm a businessman. I worked out a deal."

Daryl frowned. "What kind of deal?" 

Merle smiled. "Slow your roll lil' brother. I made a deal to work on the man's car. He's got a sweet little cherry-red, sixty-nine, Shelby Gt five hundred. Gonna finish fixin' up some thangs on it for him."

He watched as Daryl processed the information. Clearly his brother thought that he had made some kind of drug deal or something judging by his reaction. They both looked up as the door to the bathroom opened and Carol walked out wearing only a towel, same as Daryl had. She stopped short at the sight of the two of them in the kitchen and squealed.

He let out a low whistle. "Lookin' good Carol! Mmmm..." Carol blushed ten shades of red and Merle laughed as Daryl tried to push her on into the bedroom. He wasn't sure who had wanted her to disappear more, Daryl or Carol herself. Daryl walked back over and pointed his finger at Merle.

"I'm going to put some damn clothes on. I gotta go to work in a bit. Bossman said I could come in a little late on account I had to bail _your_ ass out of jail. You better hope I don't lose my damn job because of your dumb shit."

Merle smirked and looked towards the closed bedroom door. "So you tappin' that ass now brother? Bout fuckin' time is all I gotta say."

Daryl turned a faint shade of red. "It's none of your damn business what I got going on! I'll be back in a minute so sit your ass down until then." He turned and stalked into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Merle grinned. That was what the little prick got for letting him stew in jail all damn weekend. Payback was a bitch sometimes. He was gonna enjoy teasing the hell out of him. The both of them.

..........


	23. Chapter 23

**...**

Daryl wiped the sweat off of his brow as he carried in another stack of lumber from behind the house they were working on into what would soon be the kitchen. Tyreese came in behind him a few minutes later, carrying a couple of bottles of water. He held one out to Daryl.

"Here man, thought you could use some refreshment. It's hot as blazes out there," Tyreese commented.

Daryl accepted the water gratefully and they both took a big swig before he replied. "Damn straight it is. Be glad when it's time ta knock off." They walked outside of the house amongst the other workers and stood under a shady tree for a minute.

"Your brother get out of jail?" Tyreese asked.

Daryl had told him about what had happened with Merle. He found Tyreese easy to talk to. The man didn't seem to pass any judgment on anything that Daryl said and it felt good to get some things off his chest. "Yeah, said he worked out a deal with a bail bondsman. Gonna fix the man's car up some in exchange for bailing him out." Daryl took another long swig of water. He was not looking forward to going back inside the hot house. They were in the kitchen today, working on building the island so that the granite guy could come and cover it. Daryl was learning a lot as he went along. It wasn't really his thing, but it was a paycheck and it paid the bills. He would much rather be working in his own shop somewhere, fixing up bikes. That was what he really loved. Unfortunately things didn't always work out the way people wanted them to. He was thankful that he at least _had_ a job, unlike his brother, who had never held a steady job in his life.

"That doesn't sound like a bad deal. Hey listen, I was thinking about having some people over this weekend for some beers and food, you in?" Tyreese tossed his empty water bottle in the trash.

Daryl finished his off and tossed it in the trash as well. "That sounds good. Yeah, count me in." He could use a distraction right now.

They started walking towards the house again. "Make sure you bring Carol and your brother. I don't know if he's seeing anyone or not, but the more the merrier. I tend to throw big parties." Tyreese said.

"Sounds good. I'll ask Merle. Assuming he's not back in jail this weekend he'll probably come. That man has never turned down free beer in his life." Daryl smirked. _Yeah, it would be good to get out this weekend. He could take Carol and show her off. It might be real nice to get out and have a little fun._

...

Merle was bored so he decided to wash his bike since the day was so nice and hot. The bondsman hadn't brought the car over yet that he was supposed to work on, and it still wasn't time to check back in again on Hank so he pretty much had the day free. He walked the bike out to the side of the gravel driveway and collected the items he needed to clean it with. The sun was beating down on him so he had decided to take off his shirt and get some sun. Carol was somewhere in the house doing whatever the hell it was that women did. Merle didn't know. He was only an expert on women when it came to the bedroom, not everyday life.

He squirted soap into his bucket and filled it with water. Dipping his rag into the bucket, he began scrubbing his bike until it gleamed in the sunlight. He kept wiping his forehead with his arm as sweat dripped down close to his eyes. He was just starting to rinse when a familiar blue car turned into the driveway. He kept spraying the soap off of the bike as he watched Beth exit her car. He drank in the sight of her like a man dying of thirst.

She was wearing a red tank top and shorts that looked as if they barely covered her ass. His eyes traveled down her legs to her red flip flops and then back up to her face where she was smiling at him. He cursed himself as parts of him started to rise and he quickly averted his thoughts to safer things. She walked up to him and eyed his bike.

"That's a really nice bike." 

"I built it," Merle boasted.

Her eyes grew wide. "You built this bike all by yourself?" 

Merle felt his chest swell with pride. He nodded. "I sure did." He ran his hand over the seat. "Took a lot of time, but was worth every bit."

"That takes lots of talent," Beth commented.

Merle shrugged. He didn't know if he would consider what he did _talent_. He never did much to be proud of, but this bike was his pride and joy. If that was talent, then he supposed he might have _some_ talent. He grabbed a dry rag from his back pocket and began drying the bike off. "What ya doin' out this way darlin'?" He watched her eyes travel over him when she thought he wasn't looking and he fought back a smirk.

"I was just stopping by to see if you wanted to do safe rides with me tonight."

Merle paused a moment. He had forgotten all about his demands that she let him go with her on these "safe rides". He couldn't figure out why the girl kept coming back. He was clearly much older than her and he had already been arrested once in the short time that he had known her. He knew if he decided to go on these rides with her, that he would have to keep his hands to himself. He had to tread lightly. If the girl's daddy got an inkling that Merle Dixon was riding with his youngest daughter at all hours of the night, he would surely be arrested again. It didn't matter any that the girl was of age, somehow it was always Merle's fault. But he had told her that he would, so now he was torn between backing out on what he said or suffering through a long night of keeping his hands to himself. Merle was really bad at that game.

He sighed and stood up. He really didn't like the thought of her out there alone though, no matter how much she argued about being able to take care of herself. He scowled as he thought about how easily she could be overpowered by some drunk who wouldn't even remember anything in the morning. Then he came to the startling realization that _he_ not too long ago had been that drunk that never remembered anything in the morning.

"Yeah, what time?" 

She smiled up at him. "The calls usually start coming in around ten at night. It's my night to volunteer. I figured maybe I can come here around nine thirty and we can wait together until I get the first call?

His brother would probably give him grief over it, but he didn't care. Daryl still thought he had been driving his bike while drinking which even Merle knew better than to do. He nodded. "Alright."

She smiled and bounded over to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks, Merle. See you tonight." She blushed and went back to her car to leave while he stood there wondering how he kept getting himself further and further into situations like these.

...

Carol walked outside just in time to see Beth pulling out of the driveway. Beth waved at her and she waved back before walking over to see what Merle was up to. She found him standing in the middle of the driveway, staring into space. It wasn't often that she saw that particular Dixon deep in thought so she stood there for a few moments, not saying anything. Finally he spotted her and seemed to snap out of it.

"Everything okay?" 

"It's fine," he responded rather gruffly.

He had been a little quiet towards her since that morning. He had teased them both this morning after catching them coming out of the shower together, but ever since he hadn't said much. It wasn't like him. She walked over and stood between him and the bike, interrupting whatever he had gone back to doing to his bike.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" She pressed.

Merle sighed. "What damn difference it make? Ain't nobody gone believe nothin' Merle Dixon says anyway."

She tilted her head and studied him. He was wearing his typical scowl, but she sensed a layer of hurt underneath that he was trying hard to disguise. "Is this about what happened on Friday?"

"Ain't nothin' to worry your pretty little head about," he replied gruffly. He walked around to the other side of the bike but she leaned over it, effectively blocking him again. "Goddammit Carol!" He yelled. He threw his cleaning rag down on the gravel. She crossed to the other side and stood in front of him. She briefly realized how much she had changed and how quickly. She wasn't scared of Merle Dixon and his attitude or even Daryl for that matter. She wondered when she had become so brave and how come she hadn't had this same bravery a long time ago when it came to Ed.

"I _am_ worried Merle. What really happened out there?" She touched his arm and felt him tense beneath her hand. His eyes snapped down to her hand, but she didn't remove it even when he clenched his jaw.

"I done told ya what happened! Somethin' ain't right with all this shit."

She frowned and thought about everything he had said. She really felt like he wouldn't take it to this extreme if he had just been trying to cover up the fact that he had been drinking. She could tell now that it was eating at him. To make matters worse, she still didn't think Daryl believed him and she knew that that had to hurt Merle. He didn't show it of course, but she could sense it. She had spent a lot more time with Merle than she had with Daryl, simply because Daryl was gone all day working. She had had ample opportunity to study the man and felt like she knew him pretty well.

"I believe you," she said softly. She watched as surprise and shock flickered across his face. He quickly concealed it of course, not wanting anyone to see his emotions. "Don't worry. Daryl will come around too. I'll talk to him."

Merle stepped back, causing her to drop her hand from his arm. "You ain't doin' no such thing darlin'. If he don't believe his own brother that's his doin'. I don't need his approval. Merle Dixon can handle his own shit. I was set up and believe me when I say that I _will_ be getting to the bottom of this." He stalked off towards the garage, leaving her standing alone next to his bike wondering how she was going to fix this.

...........


	24. Chapter 24

**...**

Merle was outside around nine sitting on the porch to wait for Beth. He had been sitting there for a few minutes before he decided that he looked too eager so he stood up and strolled into the backyard to tinker in the garage. He didn't turn on the overhead light; he turned on the little lantern they had sitting back there instead. Carol and his brother were in the house cuddled together on the couch. He rolled his eyes at the image they made. His brother was already whipped and he had barely just gotten his dick wet.

They hadn't said much to each other since Daryl had gotten home. Daryl had gone out to the garage to work on his bike and Merle had disappeared into his room to take a nap before this evening. The last thing he needed was to be less than alert tonight. He wanted all of his energy in case he had to knock the shit out of someone. He swung the lantern over Daryl's bike, taking a look at his brother's progress. Daryl had a real knack for bikes, whereas Merle could work on anything. He was so busy admiring his brother's work that he didn't hear the car pull into the driveway. He did hear the door shut though and he cut the lantern off before walking to the edge of the garage. He heard footsteps but he didn't see anyone.

Frowning, he looked around the side of the house and spotted an unfamiliar car in the driveway. He narrowed his eyes as he spotted a figure bent over near the house. It was pitch black out front without the glow of a streetlight. The porch light was dim and the one bare bulb that hung there didn't cast out a glow far enough for Merle to see who was trespassing in his yard. He crept silently around the edge of the house until he was just behind the intruder.

Fast as lightening he wrapped an arm around the intruder's neck, applying just enough pressure to let them know he meant business. "You best explain yourself cause ya got ten seconds 'fore I cut off all your air," he growled. The person tensed and Merle reached his other hand around them to pat them down. Except his hands encountered a very female body with tiny breasts and a slim waist. He eased up his grip and yanked her around. He felt her gasp for air and she rubbed her neck.

"Jesus Christ, darlin'! Don't you know better than to sneak round somebody's house? I could have taken ya out!" Merle yelled.

"I...I'm sorry. It was dark and I dropped my cell phone somewhere on the ground. I thought you would know it was me," Beth's voice squeaked out.

Merle sighed. "Where's your car?"

"My sister Maggie's got it. Mine gets better gas mileage and she's going out of town with some friends tomorrow."

He felt like an idiot. This whole business with him getting arrested had him a little paranoid. Now he was sneaking around his own damn house assaulting people. He really had to get a grip on things. He rubbed his eyes and then began helping her look for her cell phone on the ground.

"I didn't hurt ya did I?" He asked as he saw her rub her neck again. He hadn't meant to hurt her. If he had known the intruder was female, he might not have applied so much pressure there.

"I'm okay," she mumbled. He ran his hands over the grass and finally felt the cool plastic of the phone. He picked it up and handed it back to her. "Thanks," she said as she reached for the phone. Their fingers brushed and Merle cleared his throat before pulling his hand quickly back.

"So we just gonna wait here til' ya get a call or what?" Merle asked as they walked back over to her car.

She slid up onto the hood and nodded. "If it's okay I figured we would." He couldn't see what she was wearing in the darkness which he supposed was a good thing. He leaned against the car and played with the antenna on the hood.

"I guess it's alright. How long ya stay on call for this shit anyway?" 

"Usually until one on the weekdays and three on the weekends."

He tensed. "And ya out there by yourself the entire time?"

"Of course. Who else would be with me?" 

Merle wasn't sure he liked that. That was a late hour to be out by yourself coupled with the fact that she was a female. He couldn't believe her daddy hadn't put a stop to it yet. Not unless the man didn't care. Merle didn't know much of anything about Hershel Greene so he couldn't say one way or the other. The ringing of her cell phone punctuated the silence after a few minutes. She answered and said a few things before hanging up and turning to him.

"Got us a live one?" 

She giggled. "Yep."

...

They arrived at Hangover a few minutes later and Merle followed Beth inside where she went straight over to talk to Red from across the bar. Merle eyed the people inside of the bar, silently daring anyone with his eyes to make a move on the young girl. He noticed one drunk in particular who was slumped over the bar, moaning and groaning about how much his life sucked. It was another one of those moments where he figured that had been him at one time. He shook his head and watched as Beth walked back over to him. She nodded to the drunken moaner.

"That's our guy. Red says he lives out in the country about twenty miles out." Beth held up the address on a small piece of paper.

Merle nodded and cracked his knuckles. "I got this darlin'. Why don't you go pull the car round?" She gave him a look, but nodded and disappeared outside.

Merle walked around to the side of the man. He lifted the guy's head up by the collar of his shirt and got some kind of drunken response before the guy slammed his head back down onto the bar. Merle shrugged. This one would be easy. He was already trying to curl up and go to sleep. Merle thought about the best way to get him to the car and he could feel Red watching him in amusement. Merle shrugged, hauled the scrawny man up by his arms, and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The man was a real lightweight and Merle figured he had probably only had six beers before getting to this state. It usually took Merle at _least_ twice that many if not more.

He carried the man outside and placed him into the backseat of Beth's car where he promptly curled up into a ball and began snoring. Merle shook his head and climbed into the passenger seat.

"Don't you ever worry about 'em pukin' in your car?" He asked.

Beth giggled. "Not tonight. This is Maggie's car remember?"

Merle smiled at that and settled back against the seat contentedly. It took them about twenty or so minutes to find the man's house and Merle walked with Beth to the door to explain what happened while the woman in the house sent another man out to fetch the drunken one. The woman thanked Beth profusely and even tried to offer her some money, but Beth politely refused and soon they were back out onto the highway headed back towards town. They had only gone a mile or so when Merle heard a pop and felt the car jerk to the right. He looked over at Beth and saw her struggle to steer it onto the shoulder of the road. She put the car in park and Merle opened his door to get out and access the situation.

"Flat tire. Ya gotta flashlight?" 

"I don't know. I'll check." Beth began fumbling underneath the seats until she finally produced a small flashlight no bigger than a remote control.

"I guess that'll work," Merle replied as she handed it to him. He shone the light down onto the tire and whistled as he ran his hand over the blown tire. "Damn girlie, this tire was 'bout bald. Somebody gotta teach you girls the basics about car care. Y'all are liable to get yourselves killed," Merle grumbled. He stood up and crossed to the driver's side of the car and fumbled with a latch until the trunk popped open. Walking around behind the vehicle, he shone the light inside to find a ragged looking spare and a small jack. Grimacing, he grabbed up the two items and set them on the ground before looking for the lug wrench. He looked everywhere in the trunk before coming up empty handed. Shaking his head, he walked around and searched the inside of the car but came up empty again.

"What's wrong?" Beth asked worriedly.

Merle sighed. "Well, ya ain't got a lug wrench in here so I ain't got no way of takin' off them lug nuts."

"Couldn't you use something else?" Beth offered.

Merle smirked. "Like what, darlin'? Them nuts are put on by an air wrench. They ain't comin' off with just anything." He set the other items back inside the trunk and looked at her. "Where's your phone darlin'? I'll see if Hank can't come tow us in."

She handed her phone over and after a quick phone call, Hank said he would be there in about forty-five minutes. They climbed back inside of the car to wait. It didn't take Merle long to come to the realization that forty-five minutes was going to be a long time to sit in a dark car with Beth. He closed his eyes and kind of wished he had something strong to drink. It was going to take a lot to keep his hands off of her.

"So, have you found out anything about what happened to get you arrested?" Beth asked.

Merle shook his head, slightly relieved that the topic of conversation was neutral. "Nah. I'm workin' on it. I'll find out though, don't you worry."

Beth nodded and then reached over and took his hand in hers. He jerked a little in response, but then eased up some as she just trailed her fingers over his callouses.

"What you doin' over there darlin'?" He raised a brow at her.

"I'm just feeling your hands. You can tell a lot about a man by the feel of his hands."

"That so?" Merle grunted. Her fingers were sending tremors straight down to his zipper.

She nodded. "Yeah. You can tell if a man is a hard worker, a fighter, or whether he doesn't do much of anything. I like to study people." 

"Ya been studyin' me?" Merle asked. She nodded again. "And what ya come up with 'bout me?"

She sighed. "I've found that you're a good man who is highly misunderstood and..." Her voice trailed off.

"And what?" He prodded. He was highly curious now.

"And I'm falling for you," she finished in one big breath.

Merle snatched his hand back a bit too quickly as if he had been burned. He stared at her in shock. The girl barely knew him and yet she was _falling for him_? He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Merle had never had anyone fall for him as far as he knew.

 _Ever_.

.................


	25. Chapter 25

**...**

Daryl rolled over in his sleep and then tensed as he heard the front door open and close. Opening one eye, he squinted at the alarm clock next to the bed and saw that it was a few minutes after three in the morning. Slipping out from around Carol's warmth, he yanked on his pants and stuck his head out of his door. He could see the faint glow of the kitchen light and then he heard Merle's muffled curse. Sighing he glanced back at Carol who only shifted slightly but didn't awaken and then he headed over to the kitchen.

He squinted against the light as he shuffled into the kitchen. Merle barely looked up at him as he continued his search through the drawers in the kitchen.

"What the hell are you doing Merle? It's after three in the damn mornin'!" Daryl grumbled.

Merle shot him a glance and then kept shuffling through their junk drawer, his face intent. "I found out some interestin' info lil brother. Need to write all this shit down while it's fresh on the brain. Where's a fuckin' pen when ya need one?" He griped.

Daryl reached across the counter and swiped up a lone pen that was laying there. Apparently Merle had missed it in his intense searching efforts. "Here. Don't know if it works." He thrust the pen towards Merle who swiped it and began scribbling onto a piece of paper. Daryl watched him for a few moments but couldn't make out his chicken scratch. "Want to explain what the hell is going on?"

Merle scribbled some more and then looked over at Daryl. "Let's just say that I got myself a list o' all the people that were at Hank's the day I got arrested." Merle grinned wickedly.

Daryl yawned. "Well get on with it then. I gotta be up for work in a couple hours." 

Merle glanced down at his list. "Hank says Andrea was there, some other clown named Martinez, and get this," Merle glanced up at him excitedly. "Ed."

Daryl brightened up a little at this news. "Ed? What the fuck was Ed doing there?" That was news to him. He thought Ed had skipped town or something considering no one had claimed to have seen him.

Merle shrugged. "Don't know. But I will be findin' out. Ya can bet your sweet ass on that. Hank says Ed was talkin' to that guy Martinez about somethin'. "

Daryl frowned. "Isn't Martinez the fucker that used to work for Hank? The one who doesn't like you?"

Merle nodded. "The one an' only."

"How do you not remember seeing Ed though?" Daryl was trying to sort all of this out in his mind, but something wasn't adding up right.

"I think he was in the back or somethin' when I come up. Don't really know. Told ya a lot of that shit was foggy."

"So when did you talk to Hank? I thought you were doing that safe ride shit with Beth?" Daryl asked. He was still having trouble wrapping his brain around all of this information.

Merle sighed. "She got a flat. Damn girl don't know shit 'bout cars. No fuckin' lug wrench so I had to call Hank. Can you imagine if I hadn't have been there? Damn." 

Daryl didn't know what else to say. He was glad that Merle had a list of possible suspects and all. At the moment though, all he could think about was crawling back into his warm bed with Carol and sleeping the rest of the little bit of time he had left cuddled next to her before work.

...

Carol stirred slightly as Daryl crawled back into bed a short while later and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her flush against him. She yawned sleepily and snuggled back against him as she tried to get comfortable again.

"You trying to tell me somethin'?" He growled next to her ear.

 "I think _you're_ trying to tell _me_ something," she teased. She gestured with her hand towards the direction of his obvious erection. "What were you doing up?"

"Merle just got in. Had some new developments in figuring out who he said might have spiked his drink," Daryl grumbled.

Carol perked up a little at this news and rolled over to face him. "Really? Who did he say it might be?"

Daryl began kissing on her neck to distract her. She giggled, but firmly pushed him away. "Oh, no! You're not distracting me now! I want to know. Don't you want to know who is trying to set your brother up?"

Daryl sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Honestly? I think he's blowing this whole shit up out of proportion. I mean, nothing has happened since then. If somebody was trying to set him up for something, don't you think they would have tried to do something else by now? It doesn't add up to me. Why Merle?"

Carol frowned. "I'm not sure. It's disturbing to me that you don't believe your own brother though." She was sure Merle was telling the truth. He _had_ to be, didn't he?

"Merle doesn't have the best track record when it comes to honesty. You just haven't been around him long. He'll show his true colors soon enough." He tried to reach for her to pull her back against him again, but she scooted away from him in the bed.

"I'm going to go talk to him," she said as she stood up. "Maybe you should lie here and think about how _you_ would feel if your own brother didn't believe you." With that being said, she grabbed her robe and left the room.

...

The light was still on in the kitchen and when Carol peeked her head inside she found Merle sitting at the counter with a frown on his face. Clearing her throat to announce her presence, she entered the kitchen and immediately began readying the coffee pot to make some coffee. She always made the coffee now. She had tried both Daryl and Merle's coffee before and it was so strong and bitter that she almost couldn't choke it down. They seemed more than happy to let her take over coffee duty from here on out and she was happy to do it just to keep from drinking more of their strong brew.

"What you doin' there?" Merle asked.

"Making coffee. What does it look like?"

Merle raised a brow at her sarcastic tone and then grinned. "Ya got the fire woman. I like it."

Despite herself she grinned back at him. She wasn't really mad at him; she was just irritated with Daryl and his lack of trust in his brother. She could understand to a degree why he was hesitant, but Merle had been doing quite well with himself lately. Why couldn't Daryl see it?

"Sorry. I didn't mean to be so surly." 

"Hmph. No need to apologize to me. My brother kick ya out of his bed?" He teased.

She sighed. "No. I left him in there to pout."

Merle raised both brows at this admission. "What's he poutin' bout? We run outta hot water in the shower?"

Carol blushed a deep red remembering when Merle had caught them in the shower fooling around. She ignored his question and instead turned around to busy herself setting out two coffee cups as the coffee finished perking. "So I heard you have a list of possible suspects?" She asked to change the subject. She grabbed two spoons from the drawer.

"Talked to Hank tonight an' he told me who all was there. Interestin' little list if I do say so myself."

It was her turn to arch a brow as she turned back around to face him again, all of her previous embarrassment having faded. "Oh?"

Merle pushed the little piece of paper he had scribbled on over to her. "Take a look see at that list." He sat back in his chair and watched her as she read over the names. Some of them were hard to read in Merle's handwriting, but she was able to piece them together without too much trouble.

She gasped as she got to the end of the list. "Ed?" As that sunk in all of the color drained from her face.

Merle nodded. "The one an' only. The way I see it, he's got more cause than any of the rest of 'em."

"Why?" She asked even though she had a feeling she already knew.

Merle smirked. "Ya shackin' up with us darlin'. Ya think nobody would notice ya stayin' with two men? Dixon's on top of that? Maybe he figures if he takes me out of the equation, he can get to ya more easily."

Carol swayed gently on her feet and Merle was around the counter in a flash trying to steady her, his expression now one of concern. "I'm okay," she said after a few minutes. Merle thrust her towards a chair.

"Sit your ass on down sugar. I think I can handle the coffee from here." He went over to the pot and began pouring the coffee into the two mugs that she had sat on the counter. When he had set her coffee in front of her and she had taken a sip, he seemed to relax a bit.

"Sorry about that. I don't know what came over me. I just got a little scared at the thought of Ed trying to use either of you to get to me." She held the mug with both hands, not trusting herself not to spill it into her lap at the moment.

Merle sipped his own coffee, his eyes meeting hers over the rim of the cup. "Don't ya worry about a thing darlin'. A Dixon don't go down without a fight." He pointed towards the bedroom where Daryl slept. " _Especially_ when it involves a woman he loves."

...............


	26. Chapter 26

**...**

Carol couldn't stop thinking about what Merle had said about Daryl loving her. She thought that was silly. They hadn't even known each other all that long really. She wasn't sure she was ready for something like that to happen. She was quite enjoying just being with him for now. She refused to think much else about it and that was that.

Daryl had been a little sullen after he had gotten up to get ready for work. Merle had already went to bed to try and get a few hours of sleep. Now with Daryl having left for work a few hours ago, she was dressed and waiting on him to wake up. She had plans today. Today, she was going to look for a job. This divorce was taking a long time to get going and she was ready to get it done. She was running out of the money she had squirreled back from Ed and she would need money in case she had to pay this lawyer more. She dug through her purse until she came across Philip Blake's business card. She needed to talk to him about how things were proceeding but they didn't have a phone. She walked by Merle's door and pressed her ear against it. She could make out his faint snoring from the other side and she sighed. It looked as though it would be a while before he awakened to take her anywhere.

Walking outside she sat down on the steps to think. She heard a loud thump and she glanced over at the neighbor's house. She hadn't ever met the neighbors. She figured someone had to stay there because there was a car in the driveway, but she hadn't ever actually seen anyone outside. Glancing back towards the house where Merle was, she made her way across the yard to knock on the door. Maybe they would have a phone she could use.

The grass was slightly overgrown and the weeds made her legs itch as she made a path to the front door. The house wasn't in much better shape than the Dixons and she figured that was slightly the norm for this neighborhood. It wasn't exactly suburbia here. The truck that was parked in the driveway was old but it had a certain charm to it that appealed to her in a way. She made her way up the rickety porch steps that had seen better days and knocked on the door. It took a minute but then she heard several noises and the door opened. A young black man stood there with a doo-rag around his head and peered around her before offering her a friendly smile.

"Can I help you?" He asked politely.

She paused, unsure now of her decision to come over without telling Merle. But the man seemed friendly enough so she forged ahead. "Hi! I live next door," She pointed towards their house. "...and I was wondering if I might borrow your phone if you have one?"

"I don't have a house phone yet. I'm still in the process of getting settled, but I do have a cell phone you can use. Hang on one moment." He stepped away from the door and was back moments later with a small cell phone in his hand. She accepted it and then realized that she hadn't even introduced herself before asking to use the man's phone.

"Thank you. I'm Carol...Peletier." She hated to use her married name, but she _was_ still technically married to Ed.

He held out his hand and offered her another friendly smile. "I'm Theodore Knight. But most people call me T-Dog."

She smiled at him. "Well welcome to the neighborhood. I wouldn't have disturbed you had I known you had just moved in."

"Oh no, no. It's no problem at all. And thank you for the welcome. I've got some more boxes to unpack and you're more than welcome to stand out here or step inside while you make your phone call. Take as much time as you need; I have unlimited minutes. Just ignore the mess if you do come inside." He chuckled and with a nod, stepped back inside the door of the house. He left the door open and she watched as he disappeared down a hallway. She noticed from her spot near the door that his house had a similar layout to that of the Dixon's. It was also just as rundown.

She stepped closer to the porch steps and dialed the number to Philip Blake's office. After waiting for several long minutes she finally got an answer and his secretary grudgingly put her through. Carol wondered how the man managed to keep any business at all with such a sour secretary. She glanced over towards the house just in case Merle came outside looking for her as she waited.

"Philip Blake." 

"Hi Mr. Blake. This is Carol Peletier. I came and talked to you about a divorce from my husband Ed."

"Ah, yes. Carol. I was just working on your file this morning. I've talked to the hospital and I'm still waiting on them to get me those release papers from your stay. Apparently, they are upgrading their systems, so that's what is taking so long. I also had a talk with the Sheriff and he confirmed a lot of what you had already told me. You never mentioned an altercation with a Merle..." She heard him shuffling papers on his desk. "Dixon. This happened in the parking lot of a grocery store?"

Carol had forgotten all about that. Everything seemed as if it had happened so long ago when in reality it hadn't been that long at all. "Oh, yes. I had forgotten about that. Is that bad?"

He paused. "No. It actually should help your case. Sheriff Grimes mentioned how Ed had apparently threw a punch at this Merle Dixon fellow. Are they of any relation to you?"

Carol smiled. Merle was almost like a brother to her now. "No. Just a friend." 

She could hear him scribble against something and she assumed he was taking notes. "Okay. So, I'm going to go through all of this and wait for those release papers and then we'll see about setting up a date to go in front of the judge. With this evidence, he should grant you a fast divorce," Philip said.

"And if he doesn't?" Carol asked.

"We hope for the best. I don't see him not granting it but if for some reason he doesn't, then it could take up to a year for the divorce to finalize. You don't need to worry about anything though. As long as you are keeping straight on your end, he will have nothing to use against us in court."

Carol's gut clenched. "Define keeping straight." 

"Well for starters, you don't do any drugs, do you?" 

Carol wanted to laugh at the absurdity of that. She had never done any drugs in her life. She didn't even like taking medicine. "No. Of course not."

"Good. Keep it that way. And no drinking of course. You also don't want to be seen with anyone that could be misconstrued as a boyfriend. Ed might be able to say that you had been cheating on him and that wouldn't cast you in a favorable light in front of a judge," Philip explained.

Carol's heart sank. "I'm staying with the Dixon's though. I...I don't have a job or the money to get my own place."

There was a brief pause on the other end before Philip spoke. "I would suggest finding a roommate or a job so that you could get your own place until this is settled. The sooner the better because this could complicate things and we don't want that. At the very least, maybe you could get a _female_ roommate?" Philip insisted.

"Sure. I'll figure out something," Carol murmured. She thanked him and promised to check back in with him soon before hanging up.

She had a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't ready to leave the Dixon's. She had become quite attached to the both of them. Now, she wouldn't even be able to come over without it drawing suspicion. _What was she going to tell Daryl?_

...

Daryl had had a shitty day at work. They had finished up the last house in the subdivision and his boss had informed him that he was going to have to lay him off until more work came around. He had apologized saying that Daryl was a damn good worker and he hated to lose him, but he was temporary, and he had to see to his other full time employees first and foremost. Tyreese had been laid off as well as a few of the others and Daryl didn't know what he was going to do. All he could think about was getting home to see Carol and burying himself inside of her to try and forget the terrible day. Except when he pulled up at the house, Merle and Carol weren't there. The bike was gone though so he figured that they had driven off somewhere and would be right back.

After a quick shower, he walked outside to look at his own bike. He figured he should at least take it out for a spin, but he had really wanted his first ride on the bike again to be with Carol. He walked inside the garage and steered the bike outside to the driveway. He would just crank it up and let it run a bit, see how it did. He straddled the bike and immediately felt at home again. He had missed this so much. He ran his hand lovingly over the surface and fired it up. He revved the engine several times and smiled as the bike purred underneath him. Standing back up, he disappeared inside for a minute to grab himself a beer.

He popped the top and took a long swig as he walked back outside to his bike. The cold beer felt really good going down after the kind of day he had had. He paused in his tracks though as he came back to his bike and found a man standing next to it. He instantly went on guard.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doin'?" He shouted over the bike as he approached the man.

The man gave him a friendly smile and held his hands up in apology. "Hey, sorry brother. I was just admiring your bike. That's a sweet ride."

Daryl relaxed a bit but still kept a wary eye on the unfamiliar face. He wasn't used to people showing up out of the middle of nowhere in his yard. Daryl nodded, "Thanks. I built her."

The man's eyes widened. "You don't say?" He let out a low whistle. "That takes some skills."

"It isn't a big deal. Done it just about my whole life," Daryl replied.

The man nodded. "Where are my manners? The name's T-Dog. I've just moved in next door." T-Dog held out his hand towards Daryl and Daryl shook it firmly.

"Daryl." He gestured over to T-Dog's house. "I didn't know the last people were gone to be honest."

T-Dog grinned. "Oh yeah. They been gone a _real_ long time judging from the leftovers I found in the refrigerator."

Daryl chuckled. "Yeah, these damn landlords don't take care of shit around here. We could use some new tile in the kitchen and the bathroom sink leaks a little bit every now and again. They don't give a rat's ass though unless you're behind on the rent."

T-Dog nodded thoughtfully. "I've had my share of those. It's just me though so it's no big deal. What about you? You and your wife have any kids?"

Daryl almost spit out the last gulp of beer he was swallowing. "Wife?" 

T-Dog looked momentarily perplexed. "Ah. Maybe I've gotten ahead of myself. There was a woman who came over earlier to borrow my phone and she said she lived here. Come to think of it though, she said her last name was Peletier and you said yours is Dixon. I'm sorry man; I've stepped all over myself." 

 _Carol had been over there to use the phone?_ He hoped nothing had went wrong. This was one of those times he wished he owned a cell phone, but he definitely wouldn't be getting one now that he had been laid off. At that thought, his mood began to sour again. He was getting ready to ask T-Dog if Carol had seemed upset when he heard the familiar roar of Merle's bike as it came into view and turned into the driveway. He watched as Carol climbed off the back and handed Merle her helmet. She glanced over at him and he could tell something was wrong right away. She wouldn't hold his gaze for very long and she didn't seem like her usual peppy self.

She looked over at T-Dog and gave him a small smile. "Nice to see you again." 

T-Dog smiled and nodded his head at her in greeting. "Likewise ma'am."

Merle switched off his bike and cast a glance over at Daryl. Daryl could sense a hesitation in his brother and he was annoyed that obviously something had developed since he had been at work. He just hoped it wasn't more bad news. Merle climbed off of his bike and T-Dog crossed over to him. "That's a sweet ride you've got there. Let me guess - you built yours too?"

Merle grinned. "Shit yeah, I did. Built 'er from the ground up. Wouldn't have it no other way."

T-Dog grinned in response. "Name's T-Dog. I just moved next door."

"Merle," he responded. Daryl watched him exchange a look with Carol.

"That's my brother." Daryl explained. "He stays here too."

T-Dog must have sensed the tension around the three of them because he began backing over towards his house. "Well it's nice to meet you folks. I'll just be getting back on over to my house and give you all some time to yourselves. Maybe I'll see you around?" 

Daryl nodded. "Sure. Take it easy man." He watched as T-Dog crossed back over into his own yard and then he turned to Merle and Carol.

"What the hell is goin' on? You both lookin' like somebody done ran over the dog, and we ain't got no damn dog so what's the deal?"

...............

 


	27. Chapter 27

**...**

Carol chewed on her lip as she thought about the best way to tell Daryl about the latest developments. She had had a busy afternoon. After having to wake Merle up, she had gotten him to take her by the police station so that she could check in with sheriff Grimes. He told her that Ed had been spotted around town and that they were working on bringing him in to charge him with assault for beating her. He assured her that they had some leads they were going to follow through with and they expected to catch Ed anytime now. This didn't do much to settle her nerves at all. With all this heat on Ed, he would surely be more cautious now than ever. Especially since he knew he would be arrested.

She told him she was in the process of having to find somewhere to move and he had mentioned that Maggie Greene was looking for a roommate. Carol had been so excited that she had stepped back up front to talk with Maggie right away. Maggie had moved out from her parents a few weeks ago while she was taking classes at the community college and was looking for someone to share expenses with. Carol didn't think it would take her long to find a job and Maggie had been thrilled at finding someone to room with. Because of the lateness of the day, Carol had run out of time to look for a job, but she had at least found a place to stay. Merle wasn't too happy about it, but she figured they were both more worried about how Daryl would take it. She had been okay until they had pulled in and she could tell that something was bothering him.

"I'll be in the house if ya need me," Merle said and he disappeared around the side of the house. She was left standing alone with Daryl who now had an expression of confusion on his face.

"Spill it woman! What's goin' on?" Daryl demanded.

"I talked to my lawyer today," she broached hesitantly.

Daryl's face took on a blank look for a few moments. "Alright. What did he say?"

Carol swallowed and decided it was best to just rip the Band-Aid off all at once. "He said I should move. It doesn't look good for my case to be staying with two men so I found a friend to room with today."

"Fuck," Daryl cursed. "Who you moving in with?"

"Maggie Greene." 

Daryl contemplated this for a few moments. "I don't want to cause you any problems in getting your divorce, but if you move, who's gonna protect you?"

"I'm sure we'll be fine Daryl. It's not like I'll be alone. Maggie will be there. Sheriff Grimes has already been informed."

Daryl smirked. "So everybody knows but me? I'm the last to find out that you're leaving?"

She winced. She didn't intend for it to happen like that, but she supposed he _was_ the last to find out in a way. "I'm sorry." 

He was quiet for several long minutes. "I got laid off today," he muttered.

She gasped. This was even worse. It seemed like everything was happening all at once. She had just gotten comfortable here and was finally breathing a little easier from being away from Ed. Now here came something else to ruin her happiness. She couldn't ever seem to catch a break it seemed. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"I'm sorry," she said again, feeling like a broken record.

He shrugged. "Not your fault."

She knew it wasn't her fault but she still felt bad regardless. He had found out he had lost his job and that she was moving all in one day. She worried about what the two of them would do for money. "Are you going to be okay?" 

He smirked. "We'll be fine. Don't worry about that. Not the first time we both been without a job and sure as shit probably won't be the last either." He looked really depressed and she wished she knew a way to make him feel better, but she knew he wasn't going to let her do too much to comfort him. Daryl didn't expect people to do for him and he certainly wouldn't tolerate anyone feeling sorry for him either. "Going to take a ride. Be back in a bit." 

She stood there as he fired up his bike and backed it out of the drive. When he backed it into the road, he revved up the engine and sped off down the road, leaving her still standing there. She felt the tears well up in her eyes as she watched him go. He hadn't even asked her to ride with him. Her heart felt heavy. It felt like a break-up even though they hadn't even talked about dating.

...

Merle shook his head as he watched from the window as his brother took off on his bike. The little shit had left Carol bawling her fucking eyes out in the driveway and now Merle had no idea how to handle it. He didn't know what to do with a crying woman. The only emotions he knew how to deal with when it came to women, were sexual. This was out of his league. He stood there and watched her from the window for a few more minutes before he sighed. He couldn't let her ass just stand out there all evening. He opened the fridge and grabbed two beers from the shelf and headed out the door.

As soon as she saw him she tried to hastily wipe her eyes but it didn't help much. Any idiot could take one look at her and tell that she had been crying. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy. He stuck out his hand and thrust a beer at her.

"Here."

She shook her head. "No thanks."

"Wasn't askin'. Take the damn drink. Ya need somethin' to calm your nerves an' I need somethin' to calm mine in case ya start bawlin' again," he said. She finally reached out and grabbed the beer. He watched her pop the top and take a long swig, grimacing at the bitter taste. "Good girl," he commented as he opened his beer and followed suit. He wasn't going to drink more than one and he felt like he could really use the one. Besides it wasn't beer that had gotten him into his predicament, it had been liquor. They stood next to one another in silence as she sipped at her beer and Merle gulped at his. Finally he cursed and shook his head.

She glanced at him in surprise. "What's wrong?"

He sighed. He couldn't believe he was about to do it. He was glad no one was around to hear it. "Wanna talk 'bout it?"

Carol stared at him for a few minutes and then smiled softly. "I know you don't want to hear it."

That was the last straw. He had opened himself up and offered to listen to her rambling and she was turning him _down_? He grabbed her beer and chugged down the rest of the can. "Spill it woman. Don't make me ask ya twice. My pride won't take it."

She kicked at the gravel in the driveway with her shoe, drawing designs into the rocks and dirt. "Daryl got laid off today."

"Shit." Merle hadn't know about that. Kid must have told her when he had left them out there to talk. He definitely wasn't expecting that. No wonder his brother had driven off. If he knew Daryl, he was probably out there sulking, thinking that he might as well push Carol away now that things were changing. His brother didn't like change, never had. "Ain't no big deal. We'll find work. Always do." 

Carol nodded. "That's what he said. Didn't sound as convincing though. He's mad that I'm leaving Merle. He didn't even tell me bye." She sniffed again and she looked at him with big doe eyes glistening with tears. He felt his heart twist painfully. What was it with him and women lately? She let out a sob.

"Jesus," he muttered. He set the beer cans on the ground and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him. "You stop that shit, ya hear me? Daryl will be fine. He just needs some time to come to terms with everythin'. Man never could take change well," Merle muttered.

She sniffled and nodded, her face pressed into his shirt. He tried not to grimace at the thought of her snot being wiped all over him. He looked up as a car turned into the driveway. He recognized it as Beth's immediately. She had someone in the passenger seat though and he couldn't tell who it was. Carol looked up too and upon seeing that they had company, she tried to quickly pull herself together. He glanced at her and then walked towards the car, giving her more time to compose herself.

He saw Beth exit the car and then Maggie get out of the passenger side. He glanced between them curiously. "I didn't know ya knew Beth," he told Maggie. He had met Maggie officially earlier when he had taken Carol by the police station. He had seen her briefly the last time he had passed through on his way to jail but he hadn't known her name, nor had he cared at the time.

Maggie laughed, "Beth's my sister."

Merle raised a brow. Now this was some interesting news. If Carol moved in with Maggie then that meant he might be seeing the girl more often. Beth smiled at him. "I didn't know that Carol was moving until Maggie told me that they were going to be roommates. Is everything okay?" Beth's eyes flitted over to where he imagined Carol was still standing a few feet behind him.

He nodded. "Lawyer's orders. All cause of that dickhead she was married to."

Beth hit his arm softly. "Merle!"

He shrugged. "Well it's true. Wouldn't spit on the sumbitch if his ass was on fire."

Maggie nodded. "I agree with Merle. Ed was a prick. You know how he did Carol."

"You're right. I wasn't thinking," Beth replied.

Merle winked at her. "So what ya doin' over this here way? Come to see me?" He found himself hoping that she had.

She laughed. "Actually Maggie wanted to come talk to Carol more about the apartment so I told her I would drive her since she didn't know where you guys lived." She smiled as his expression fell. "...and I wanted to see you," she added shyly.

Merle grinned. "Well why don't we let them two have at it? Ya thirsty?" He asked her as Maggie walked over to Carol who he saw was looking remarkably more put together than moments before. He shook his head. He didn't know how women did it. If he went through as many emotions as a woman did in a day, he would go fucking crazy. He cast a glance down the road as Beth followed him towards the house. He hoped his brother didn't do anything stupid and came home soon. It never even occurred to him how that was the same thing Daryl had thought many times over the years about Merle when he had gone out on the bike. It seemed that he was finally getting a taste of his own medicine and he wasn't so sure that he liked the flavor.

...............


	28. Chapter 28

**...**

Carol managed to get herself somewhat together as Maggie walked over to her. She saw Beth and Merle stroll towards the house and her heart warmed for him. Beth was really good for him and she was glad that they seemed to be hitting it off. She just hoped Merle didn't do or say anything stupid which she knew he was prone to from time to time.

"Hey," Maggie called as she stopped a few inches in front of Carol.

"Hey. What brings you by?" Carol tried to smile, but she didn't think she was very convincing. Maggie didn't notice or either she did and pretended not to.

"Just wanted to drop this key off to you. I had a copy made earlier. I know you told me it was important that you move as soon as possible because of what the lawyer said." Maggie handed her the key and Carol glanced down at the small object. It was just a key, but somehow it meant more to her. It was technically her first place without Ed. The first place that she would actually be _contributing_ , instead of feeling like she was mooching off of Daryl and Merle.

She pocketed the key and managed a genuine smile now. "Thank you. Are you sure it's okay for me to go ahead and move in? I still haven't found a job..." 

Maggie nodded. "We discussed this earlier. You just buy the groceries this month and I'm sure by next month you'll find a job. I hate staying by myself anyway so you're doing me a favor!"

Carol bit her lip. "What if I don't find a job next month though?"

"That's okay. I can hold it down until you do. You're smart though Carol, it's not going to take you that long. You'll see."

Carol hoped she was right. She glanced around and realized how dark it was getting. She looked down at her watch and saw that it was almost nine. Daryl still hadn't come back yet.

"Is everything okay? You seemed upset when we drove up." Maggie's voice was laced with genuine concern.

"I'm fine. It's just been a long emotional day. We found out Daryl got laid off today." 

"Oh no! That's horrible! I'll keep an ear out for any jobs for him. You two are pretty close, huh?" Maggie asked.

Carol _really_ needed someone to confide in that wasn't a Dixon at the moment and she figured Maggie was the best person for that job. "I really like him. He's...different. He's not like Ed."

Maggie grinned at her. "Well I'm happy for you," She glanced over at the house. "I just hope my sister knows what she's doing with Merle. Daddy won't be too happy about it if he finds out. Merle has quite the reputation."

"He's changed. He doesn't drink anymore." At Maggie's pointed look at the beer, Carol smiled. "Well, except beer that is. He really is a good guy. I know he wouldn't hurt her."

Maggie studied her for a few moments. "He does seem to be different. I haven't said anything to Daddy either. He's liable to come after Merle with a shotgun. He's so much older than her!"

Carol knew that already. She also knew that sometimes you couldn't help who you fell in love with. Right now, she was battling with her own feelings for a certain redneck on a motorcycle who still hadn't come home yet.

...

Merle found himself checking his watch multiple times that evening as he and Carol both waited on Daryl. He wasn't used to playing the worried older brother, that had always been Daryl's job even though he wasn't older by any means. He knew that Daryl could take care of himself but he still wondered what his brother was doing. It wasn't like him to be out this late.

Maggie and Beth hadn't stayed long. Beth had said that Maggie had wanted to talk to Carol about when she was moving in. Merle had fixed her something to drink and they had chatted for a few minutes in the kitchen but nothing had happened. He was out of his element here. Normally by this point, he had banged the woman and had sent her well on her merry way.

But _she_ was different. Ever since she had admitted to feeling something for him, he hadn't been able to stop himself from wanting to be around her. And not for sex either, which was the weird part. He was content to just spend _time_ with her, a feeling that was very foreign to him. He was a fish out of water when it came to relationships of any kind. She seemed eager to just be with him as well so he decided to just let it be and see how it panned out.

He and Carol had a quiet dinner by themselves, neither of them having much to say. They had both watched TV for a bit but neither of them had really been paying any attention to it. Carol had finally retreated to the bedroom a little after eleven and Merle had stayed up to wait. He knew he wasn't going to sleep until Daryl walked in that door. He wanted to know what was up.

It was almost twelve thirty when Merle heard a car pull up in the driveway. Frowning he crossed to the blinds and peered out. He couldn't make out anything beyond bright headlights so he opened the door and stepped onto the porch. He could just make out Beth as she got out of the driver's side and came over to the steps.

"What ya doin' here this late darlin'?" 

"I've got Daryl in the backseat. Picked him up at the Hangover. Red called me since you guys don't have a phone."

Merle's jaw tightened. _So his baby brother had decided to go off and get himself smashed, had he?_ He was almost tempted to open the door and toss him onto the lawn to sleep it off, but he didn't. He remembered all those times that Daryl had taken him inside when he had been too drunk to effectively take himself. It was a complete role reversal to be on this side of the car.

He followed Beth over to the car and she opened the door to the backseat where Merle heard a loud groan commence. "Red said he had about seven shots before he cut him off. He said he's never had to cut Daryl off before," Beth commented.

Merle sighed and scratched his head. Carol was surely going to have another meltdown when she got wind of this. He didn't know how much more he could take. _Being the responsible one really sucked._ "Seven is a lot for him. How'd ya get him in the car?" Merle asked.

Beth giggled a little despite the situation. "I put his arm across my shoulder and we kind of just had a running start. I parked close to the door so I just let go when we got near the backseat and he pretty much fell inside all on his own."

Merle snorted. "Been there. That's the signature Dixon walk of shame." He glanced towards the house, but he didn't see any signs that Carol had woken up. "Alright. Let's just get him in the house I reckon'. He can sleep it off on the couch. Sure as hell ain't pukin' in my bed."

He walked over and grabbed Daryl's boot, tugging on him until he slid out somewhat. Daryl stirred slightly and moaned again, trying to curl back up into the car. "Oh no, ya don't!" Merle grabbed him by the belt loop and dragged him out until he was sitting on his butt on the ground. He was actually kind of looking forward to this. It was his way of paying his brother back for all those times he was sure Daryl had had fun at his expense as well. "Alright. I'm gonna get behind him an' lift under his arms to get him standin'. Then I want ya to get under his arm here and hold him up 'til I get the other side," Merle explained.

"Alright," Beth agreed.

Merle grunted with effort as he grabbed Daryl under his arms and lifted. His brother was a lot heavier than he looked however. Merle was strong though and it may have taken him a few tries, but eventually he got Daryl into a shaky standing position. Beth immediately looped his arm over her shoulder and winced as he shifted a little, weighing down on her. Merle crossed to the other side and ducked under the other arm, hefting him up to take the pressure off of Beth. Together they got him up the steps and into the house where Merle motioned for Beth to step aside. As soon as she did, Merle removed Daryl's arm from across his shoulder and unceremoniously let him fall onto the couch.

Daryl came to for a moment, glancing around with a disoriented expression before passing out again. Beth shot him a concerned look and then looked at Merle. "He's gonna be fine darlin'. Lemme walk ya out." He cast one last glance at Daryl who had his mouth partially open and was surely slobbering on the couch cushions before walking out.

She grabbed his hand as they walked down the steps and he looked down at their hands, startled. "Is this okay?" She asked shyly.

Merle grunted. "Suppose so. Ain't used to holdin' a girl's hand." 

Beth leaned into him as they walked. "I guess we're both experiencing a lot of firsts, huh?"

Merle snorted. "Ain't had many firsts in a long, long, time girl."

They stopped next to her car, barely illuminated by moonlight. On impulse he reached out his hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering a moment against her skin. He started to drop his hand but she grabbed it with her much smaller ones and turned her face into his palm, pressing a soft kiss there. He could feel himself responding to her, just by her slight touch.

"Merle?" 

He was pretty sure his heart was beating so loud that the neighbor could hear it. He willed himself to calm down. The girl was softening him up, making him care. He didn't want to care. Caring got you hurt. Caring let you down and Merle had been let down enough in his life.

"Hmm?" He mumbled.

"Will you kiss me goodnight?"

His eyes flicked to hers sharply and she tilted her head up slightly, raising her lips in silent invitation. He watched her tongue dart nervously out and moisten her lips. He groaned. He could imagine other things for that tongue to moisten. His pants were growing tight and he shifted slightly to accommodate. _If she wanted a kiss, then by God he was going to give her a kiss._ He reached his hand up and cupped her face, stroking her jaw lightly. She closed her eyes on a sigh and he bent his head to brush his lips against hers.

He barely grazed her lips at first, brushing over them softly. She parted her lips and he swooped in, covering her mouth with his. He teased his tongue into her mouth softly at first and then more demanding as she leaned into him, her body pressed tightly against his. His hand traveled down her side and came to rest at her waist. He stopped there, not wanting to risk it by going any farther in his explorations. He did pull her closer to him and she let out little gasp as she undoubtedly felt his arousal. He felt her tongue snake out and tangle hesitantly with his. He pulled back and nibbled at her lip, loving the way she looked when she moaned again. It took every ounce of strength he had to pull back moments later. He knew if he didn't though, that things would get out of hand very fast. He had to tread carefully here. This wasn't some blonde bimbo that he was trying to fuck and forget.

She slowly opened her eyes and gifted him a dazzling smile. "Wow. That was even better than the last time." 

Merle smiled. "Just think how good the rest can be if one kiss'll do that to ya." 

She blushed and pressed a swift kiss to his cheek. "I better go. Daddy will be waiting up for me."

He found himself opening her car door and waving as she backed out of the drive before he even realized how ridiculous he looked. Glad that it was dark and that there weren't any witnesses to his show of affection, he let himself back into the house. Daryl was snoring on the couch in the same position that Merle had left him in. The door to his bedroom was still closed and he was glad that Carol hadn't woken up. He cast one last glance at Daryl and smirked _._

_He was going to enjoy watching his brother suffer that hangover in the morning, that was for sure._

_................_


	29. Chapter 29

**...**

Daryl tried to stretch and roll over in his bed but found that something was preventing him from stretching his legs completely out. He cracked open one eye and winced at the sun streaming through the windows. Glancing around, he realized why he hadn't been able to get comfortable. He was on the couch and apparently still fully dressed. A persistent pounding throbbed throughout his head and he groaned and pulled a pillow over his face. He hadn't felt this bad in a long time.

He remembered bits and pieces of the night before. The main thing he remembered was Carol and how sad she had looked when he had driven off on his bike. He hadn't meant to stay gone so long, but somehow he had ended up at Hangover. He told himself he had only intended to sit for a bit and kill some time, maybe order a beer to take the edge off. Instead, he had found himself ordering shot after shot, going more numb with each one until it didn't ache to see her face in his mind. He knew this was it. She was going to move out and he wouldn't be able to see her because of that bastard of a husband she was still legally married to. It had been too much all in one day. Getting let go from his job had been one thing, but then to come home to that? He hadn't been able to cope with it all.

Now he felt like Merle, having come home drunk to pass out on the couch. Only, he didn't remember driving his bike home so someone must have brought him. Some of the events from the night before were a little foggy to him. He reached his hand up and rubbed his throbbing head. He was pretty sure the vein in his forehead was going to jump out of his skin if it pulsed any harder.

He could hear someone moving around in the kitchen and then footsteps as they came into the living room. He lay there listening for several moments. A loud clanging noise by his head brought him straight up into a sitting position. He squinted out of eyes that would hardly stay open and saw Merle standing by the couch with a frying pan and a wooden spoon in his hand.

Merle grinned. "Up and at 'em sweet cheeks! Got things to do!" 

Daryl winced. He figured this was his brother's way of paying him back. "What the hell, Merle? Shut the hell up!" He growled.

Merle bent over the couch, that same grin still fixed on his face. "I'm sorry lil' brother. You gotta headache?" He asked loudly.

Daryl sighed and moved around so that he was sitting up on the couch. He felt like someone had run him over with a Mack truck. "You're such a prick," he mumbled.

"That may be, but least I ain't got me a massive hangover." Merle chuckled and walked into the kitchen.

"Would be the first time that's ever happened!" Daryl retorted.

He climbed shakily to his feet and slowly made his way to the bathroom. He noticed that his bedroom door was shut and wondered if Carol was still asleep. He stepped into the bathroom and relieved himself, not even bothering to glance in the mirror on his way out. He was pretty sure he looked exactly how he felt: like shit. He shuffled his way into the kitchen and climbed onto one of the stools, sprawling himself across the bar. Merle stood across from him, sipping on a cup of coffee.

"Carol still asleep?" Daryl mumbled.

Merle shook his head. "Nah. Maggie came by this mornin' before she went to work an' took Carol over to her place."

Daryl sat up at this news. _Carol had left without saying goodbye? Was she that mad at him?_   "And she didn't wake me up?" 

Merle poured another cup of coffee and pushed the mug across the counter at Daryl who caught it between his hands. "Maggie lives closer to town an' Carol's supposed to be goin' to look for a job today. Said she'd be back over later to get the rest of her stuff."

Daryl contemplated this news as he sipped at the strong brew. Merle grabbed a bottle of Tylenol and tossed it at Daryl who caught it gratefully. Shaking out two, he swallowed them down with a big gulp of coffee. He still felt like shit, but at least it wasn't quite as bad as before.

"Thanks." 

Merle snorted. "Shouldn't be helpin' ya ass out at all. Should just let ya suffer seein' as how ya decided to take it upon yourself to go out and get shitfaced." Merle paused. "Ya hurt her."

"I know," Daryl hung his head. "I didn't get shitfaced though."

"Could have fooled me. Damn ass couldn't even walk you was so drunk." 

Daryl glared at him. "Who brought me home?"

"Beth," Merle stated over the rim of his coffee cup.

Daryl groaned. "Now everybody's gonna know about it."

Merle laughed. "Everybody's gonna know 'bout it anyways brother. In a town this small you can't even wipe your ass wrong without the neighbors knowin'."

Unfortunately Daryl knew that all too well. He had to go see Carol. They had to figure out a way to make this work. If they had to leave town to see one another, then so be it. Daryl would do whatever it took. He just hoped she was willing to excuse his sour mood from last night.

...

Maggie had left for work a couple of hours ago leaving Carol all to herself in the apartment that they would now be sharing. Despite her depressed mood at seeing Daryl passed out on the couch this morning, she found herself grinning like an idiot in the apartment by herself. Maggie had given her a tour showing her the two bathrooms, two bedrooms, living room, kitchen and laundry room. Carol had a pretty good sized bedroom with two windows that gave her a view of the park across the street. The apartments were really nice and Maggie's apartment was on the first floor so they didn't have the hassle of using the stairs. The neighborhood was great and the best part was that it was only a ten minute walk into town. That was perfect for Carol because she needed to find a job as soon as possible and she didn't want to have to rely on anyone for a car. She missed her old car, but unfortunately it had been in Ed's name so she couldn't use it without permission. She would much rather walk than ask Ed's permission for anything else ever again.

She twirled slowly in the room that would be hers. The only furniture it had in it was a double bed and a small nightstand. That was perfect for her right now though because she didn't need much more than that. She sighed as she leaned her forearms on the window sill and looked out at the park. She already missed the guys. It had taken every bit of resolve she had to leave this morning without saying anything to Daryl. She hadn't been sure that he would want to talk to her. She had hugged Merle and told him that she would be back later to get the rest of her stuff and she figured she would talk to Daryl then. Right now she had more important things to focus on, like a job. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden to Maggie who was being more than gracious already.

Carol changed into the outfit she had brought to go looking for jobs in and double-checked the lock on her way out. It was nice day out and she was looking forward to her walk to look for a job.

An hour later and with no potential prospects, her good mood had significantly decreased. The grocery store had just hired new people but had said they would keep her application on file. The seafood restaurant down the street required previous serving experience and the twenty-four hour diner only had a third shift position open that didn't appeal to her at all. She was getting discouraged to say the least. She continued on with her efforts though because her lawyer's office was on the way and she wanted to stop in to let him know that she had moved.

As she pushed open the door she wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted her. Philip Blake was running around the office looking every bit as frazzled as a first time parent. The phone was ringing off the hook and he was walking around on another line talking to someone else while two people were in the lobby waiting. She raised an eyebrow as she took in the chaos. The snotty receptionist was no where to be found so she was relieved she didn't have to deal with that headache today. She felt bad for him when he saw her and gave her an apologetic look before calling to one of the two seated to come into his office. The phone continued to ring as she stood there and she sighed. The other woman seated two chairs down from her was drumming her fingers on the side of her chair in exasperation. Carol looked around the room and stood up. She had an idea and she only hoped that the man wouldn't get upset at her for it.

She crossed behind the desk and sat her purse by the chair. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the phone. "Philip Blake's office."

"I need to make an appointment to see Philip." 

Carol looked around for some sort of appointment book but she didn't see one. She figured everything was probably on the computer and she didn't have a password for that. "Um, Philip is out of the office for a couple of days for an emergency. You'll have to call back at the end of the week to make an appointment." Carol hoped she was doing the right thing.

The woman sighed but thanked her and hung up. The next line was ringing so she switched over to that one and continued down the line until finally the phone sat silent. She had a whole sticky note full of scribbles for the man. She was just going to go and sit down when he opened the door to his office and stuck his head out. His eyebrows raised as he saw her behind the desk and she blushed.

"I don't hear the phone. Did you unplug it?" He asked.

"No. I answered it. I've got a whole list of notes here for you." She crossed over to him and showed him her neatly written list.

He glanced down at the list, his brows furrowed. Then he stepped outside of the office and shut the door. "You wouldn't happen to be looking for a job, would you?"

Carol was taken aback. "I might. Are you asking me to work here?" 

The man actually looked flustered. "Well you see, this isn't normally the way I do things, but my receptionist quit her job this morning. She called me at the last minute crying about some boyfriend she was following to God only knows where. Anyway, I'm up to my elbows in paperwork and phone calls so if you know anything about computers and spreadsheets then you've got yourself a job." 

Carol looked around the room. She _did_ need a job and this seemed like it would have good hours. "Well..." She hesitated.

"The pay is over minimum wage plus paid holidays. If you take the job, I'll handle your case for free," he offered.

Carol smiled and held out her hand to shake his. "You've got yourself a deal."

...


	30. Chapter 30

**...**

Carol was so excited to have a job that by the time Maggie walked in she almost couldn't contain herself. Maggie took one look at her and grinned.

"You found a job, didn't you?" 

Carol squealed and jumped up from her perch on the couch where she had been trying to wait patiently. "I did! I start at Philip Blake's law firm tomorrow!"

Maggie jumped up and down and hugged her tightly. "That's awesome! What are you doing there?"

"I'm just going to be his receptionist. Can you believe it though? I stopped in to talk to him about my case and it turns out his receptionist had just quit on him that morning! He was drowning and he practically _begged_ me to take the job!" Carol still couldn't quite believe it herself. She couldn't wait for Maggie to take her back over to Daryl's so that she could get her things. She really wanted to tell him the good news.

"I'm so happy for you!" Maggie exclaimed. "Are we still going to get your things?"

Carol nodded. "If that's okay. I mean, I know you're tired."

"It's absolutely okay! Just give me a few minutes to freshen up and then we'll leave." Maggie walked past her and into the bathroom to primp in the mirror. "I was thinking we could order in some pizza or Chinese to celebrate our first night as roommates," Maggie called out. "What do you think?"

Carol leaned against the wall just outside the bathroom. "Either one is fine with me. My treat," she said. She still had some money left from her stash. It wasn't much, but she figured she could spare enough to treat them to dinner. She leaned her head back against the wall as she tried to slow her racing thoughts down. She was finally beginning to feel like she was taking charge of her life. It was a really great feeling.

A knock on the door startled her back into reality and Maggie peered her head around the bathroom doorway with a startled expression. "I'll get it," Carol said. She walked over to the door and opened it.

Merle let out a long whistle as he leaned against the doorway. "Mmm darlin', if you weren't my brother's woman, I might just have to date ya myself," he drawled.

Carol grinned widely. "Oh hush!" She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him like she hadn't just seen him that morning. He patted her back awkwardly as he peered over her shoulder. Carol pulled back and peered around him down the walkway. Her face fell. He hadn't come. "Where's Daryl?" 

"He's out at the truck gettin' your stuff for ya," Merle replied.

At the mention of Daryl, he appeared around the corner carrying boxes just as Merle had said. She took a moment to drink him in as he walked her direction. He was wearing one of his usual sleeveless shirts with a pair of jeans that seemed to hug him in all the right places. He was also carrying two fairly big boxes with seemingly little effort on his part. She was almost embarrassed at the fact that she wanted to jump him in the middle of the walkway. She turned to tell Merle to go on in but realized that he had already slipped inside when she wasn't looking. Daryl came to a halt a few steps in front of her with the two boxes stacked in his hands. They stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before she realized that maybe she should step aside so that he could take the boxes inside and set them down.

She followed him inside and pointed in the direction of her room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Maggie grilling Merle in the kitchen and she smiled a little at how the girl was handling Merle. It appeared that Beth wasn't the only Greene that could take Merle on. Daryl set the boxes in the corner of her room and then turned to her like he wanted to say something but he didn't.

"What happened to you yesterday?" She finally asked.

He sighed. "I dunno. I messed up. I didn't mean to go off and get drunk. You know I'm not like that."

Carol crossed her arms as she stared at him. "I was worried about you. You wouldn't even talk to me."

"Yeah...I'm not too good with this kind of stuff. I didn't mean to hurt you. If it's any consolation, Merle's made my life a living hell today." He gave her a small smile.

Carol felt herself returning his smile. "Good for him. I wasn't trying to hurt you, you know. I just want this divorce over as soon as possible so that I can do whatever I want without Ed hanging over me."

Daryl nodded. "I can understand that." He looked around. "So I can't see you at all?"

Carol thought about that. She really _didn't_ want to stop seeing Daryl. "I don't know," she said honestly. She didn't know how they could make this work without everyone talking.

"What if we tell everybody I'm dating Maggie? You think it would be okay for me to come by then?" 

She crossed over to the window to look out. "That won't work. She's already dating someone. I don't want to mess things up for her." She sighed and felt him come up behind her. His arms circled around her waist and she smiled.

"I can sneak in the window after dark," he whispered into her ear. She giggled at that image. Turning around, she twined her arms around his neck.

She pretended to think about it. "I don't know if I forgive you yet." 

Daryl frowned. "I thought we were okay?" 

She shook her head and put her finger against his lips to stop his protest. "Not until you kiss me," she whispered.

Daryl grinned. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She sighed and pulled him closer as she parted her lips, letting his tongue come into her mouth. His fingers brushed against her neck as he deepened the kiss. She trailed her nails over his shoulders lightly and he growled low in his throat.

"Well ain't that sweet. Alright! Break it up! This shit ain't gonna move itself!" Merle shouted as he came into the room carrying a box.

Daryl pulled back from her and cast a murderous glare in his brother's direction. "I'm gonna kick your ass when we get back to the house Merle."

Merle smirked. "Not even on a bad day brother."

Daryl shot him the bird as he exited the room and Carol laughed against his shoulder. She was really going to miss this. It just wouldn't be the same without the two of them around. She hadn't realized how attached she had become to the both of them. She watched as Daryl pulled back a little and seemed to take in the room.

"You got a nice place," he commented.

Carol smiled. It was a pretty nice apartment. She didn't want to make Daryl feel bad about his place though. "It's okay. It's somewhere for me to live until I get this whole ugly divorce finalized."

Daryl nodded. "I'm gonna go and see if Merle needs some help at the truck." He gave her another quick kiss and left the room.

She went into the kitchen to find Maggie pouring what she assumed was sweet tea into several glasses. "I figured the guys could use something cold to drink," she explained as Carol entered.

"Good idea. I didn't expect them to bring my things over." Carol accepted one of the glasses from Maggie and took a sip of the cold tea.

Maggie smiled. "Merle said he didn't have much choice. Daryl was walking around their place sulking and he figured if they sat there any longer he would kill him."

Carol laughed. "That sounds like something Merle would say alright."

They both paused as the two men appeared in the doorway again. Daryl was holding a rather large box and Merle was carrying a much smaller one that looked as if it weighed next to nothing. Daryl grunted as he passed by the kitchen and Merle gave a wink as he followed behind him. Maggie shook her head as they passed by.

"Is he always like that?" 

Carol smiled. "Mostly. He's trying to do better for himself. It's hard for him, but I think he's doing well. Your sister seems to be good for him."

Maggie stared down into her tea thoughtfully. "Beth is like that. She has such a good heart. I just hope she knows what she's doing."

Carol squeezed Maggie's hand. "I'm sure she'll be just fine. Give him a chance."

Maggie nodded as the men came back into the kitchen and Carol handed each of them a glass of tea. They accepted them gratefully and the girl's watched as they each finished them off in one gulp. Maggie accepted the now empty glasses and their thanks as Carol walked with them to the door. Once outside she hugged Merle again, who rolled his eyes at her.

"Thanks for your help today," she told him.

He shrugged. "It's no problem. Nothin' better to do anyways an' I got a kick out of makin' Daryl's hangover memorable." Merle laughed and Daryl scowled at him.

"I'll be out in a minute," Daryl told Merle.

"Guess that's my cue darlin'. I know you're wantin' to get some lovin'." He wiggled his eyebrows and disappeared down the walkway to the parking lot. Carol glanced back at Daryl who had lit a cigarette and was watching her intently.

She blushed slightly. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

He blew out a cloud of smoke. "Can't stare at you?" She shook her head teasingly. He stubbed out his cigarette and stuck it in his pocket. His hands followed and he shuffled his feet like he didn't want to leave. She didn't want him to leave either. "So you gonna leave your window open for me?" 

"You were serious about that?" 

He stared at her and she realized that he was. "I'll park down the street and walk up. Nobody will see me," he promised. She bit her lip as she thought about it. It w _ould_ be nice to spend some time with him, even if they did nothing but lay in the bed together. It was the sneaking around part that worried her. He must have seen the worry on her face because he touched her cheek with his hand. "It'll be alright. I promise."

He leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before heading down the walkway in the same direction that Merle had went. She hoped that it would be alright; she really did. She wanted this divorce to be over and done with. It was really weighing on her and now that the guys weren't around, she was a little paranoid that Ed might try to make some kind of move or something. She didn't for one second think that he wouldn't find out about her move and where she was staying. He had always had the uncanny ability to find out information about people. She had no reason to think that this would be any different. She rubbed her arms at the goosebumps that had collected there at the thought of Ed. It was only then that she realized she hadn't even told Daryl her good news. _Oh well, she would tell him later._ She headed back inside the apartment to find Maggie and discuss their dinner options.

...


	31. Chapter 31

**...**

By the time that Carol and Maggie had decided on ordering in some pizza and had it delivered, it was beginning to get dark outside. They had taken their pizza and camped out around the coffee table in the living room to watch cheesy movies and eat. Maggie was a lot of fun and Carol couldn't remember the last time she had ever had this much fun. They had channel surfed for a while, making fun of random things on the TV before finally settling on a movie to watch. Carol was slightly ashamed that between the two of them, they had almost eaten a whole pizza. There was one slice left.

Carol saw Maggie eyeball it and laughed. "Go ahead," She urged.

Maggie hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Carol nodded. "If I eat anymore, you're going to have to roll me to my room."

Maggie laughed. "Thanks. I love pizza. Plus this is a celebration! I got a roommate and you got a job all in one day," She said.

At the mention of her job, Carol felt her excitement build up again. She couldn't wait to go into work tomorrow and actually feel as though she were doing something useful. She almost felt like she was reliving her teenage years all over again, minus Ed of course. Thinking about Ed made her thoughts grow sour.

"Hey, what's the matter? You look sad," Maggie asked.

Carol sighed and drew her knees up to her chest. "I just have a feeling that Ed is going to try and ruin this for me somehow. I'm finally happy. I have a nice place to stay, a guy, and a new job. It doesn't feel real to me," She replied.

Maggie chewed her food, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Don't let Ed get you down. This is your moment. You deserve some happiness for once Carol."

"You're right. I _do_ deserve to be happy. No more thinking about Ed!" She cried.

She picked up her can of soda and held it up to Maggie who grabbed hers. "To a new start!" Maggie cried as they clinked their soda cans together. Carol smiled as she took a big gulp of soda. Her eyes flicked up to the clock. Daryl would be coming at any time and she couldn't wait to see him.

...

It took Daryl longer than he intended to make it over to Carol's apartment later that evening. He hadn't wanted to tell Merle that he was sneaking over there so he had waited around until Merle had went to bed. He had pretended to go to bed over an hour ago and now it was going on eleven o'clock and Merle was still up. He sighed and flopped back on the bed. He was so ready to go and see her that he was debating on just saying to hell with it and accepting whatever teasing Merle was going to throw at him. He almost sighed with relief when he heard the TV grow silent and Merle go into his room moments later. Now he just had to wait a little longer for Merle to go to sleep and he could make his move.

It had been an incredibly long evening without Carol around. They had eaten whatever leftovers there had been in the fridge for dinner, neither one that enthusiastic about it. It was going to be hell not having Carol around to cook anymore. Daryl supposed they would be going back to frozen dinners and microwave food from here on out. It was going to be tight now that he didn't have his job anymore either. The only good thing was that he had already paid the rent and electric for the month so at least they didn't have to worry about that.

He was glad that Carol had found herself a nice place. Maggie seemed like a nice girl but he still didn't know her all that well. It was comforting to him to know that she wouldn't be there alone either. Ed hadn't been caught yet and Daryl was beginning to wonder if law enforcement were even actively looking for him still. Light snoring drifted through the thin walls and Daryl sat up on the edge of the bed. Showtime.

He let himself out of the house quietly and popped the clutch in the truck to let it roll down the drive and into the street before he fired it up. As he drove across town he grew kind of nervous. Essentially he was going to see Carol but he knew that the odds were good that they would have sex when he got there. It wasn't their first time but they weren't exactly seasoned pros at it either and Daryl still had his moments of awkwardness.

He circled the apartment building a few times before finding a spot to park a block away. He locked up the truck and headed down to the building. He almost felt like some kind of criminal sneaking around and he suddenly hoped no one was out and about when he made it there. He couldn't very well climb into her window with an audience. It wouldn't be good for the cops to come and try to arrest him for breaking and entering when he had only been trying to see Carol.

Luckily for him, no one was around and he made his way over to her window carefully. He kept sneaking glances over his shoulder as he went, feeling paranoid that he would be caught. Reaching her window he found it closed and he frowned and gave it a firm tug. Relaxing a little as it slid easily up, he managed to remove the screen without making any noise and he stuck his leg through to climb inside. He could just make out her sleeping form under the covers of the bed. He slowly slid the window back down and quickly toed off his boots. She was burrowed under the covers and he was kind of disappointed to see that she hadn't waited up for him. Thinking to surprise her, he shed himself of all of his clothing except his boxers and made his way around the bed to slide underneath the covers. She shifted and rolled over to curl up against his side.

He stiffened as he ran his hand into her hair and found it shorter than he remembered. Frowning he tried to peer through the darkness, but he couldn't make out much of anything. Then he felt a naked breast press into his chest. Something wasn't right.

"Mmm...What took you so long?" A voice that was _definitely_ not Carol mumbled.

Daryl quickly slipped out from under the female's arms and stood up as she sat up in the bed. The door to the bedroom opened and a man walked into the room. He paused as he took in Daryl's form by the bed. They remained frozen in place until the lamp beside the bed clicked on. Daryl blinked in the sudden light and was glad that he hadn't taken a _ll_ of his clothing off.

" _Daryl_?" Maggie asked. Her hair was rumpled and she had the sheet clutched to her body as though he hadn't already felt her nakedness pressing against him mere moments before. He shuddered.

"Maggie, what's going on? Who is this guy?" The man by the doorway asked.

Daryl wanted to slink out of the room and go crawl in a hole somewhere. How had he gotten the rooms mixed up? He figured Carol's window to be at the end but he must have counted wrong in his excitement earlier. He started around the bed to grab his clothes when the guy by the door picked up a baseball bat that was leaning against the wall.

"Glenn! Put that down!" Maggie cried.

The guy, _Glenn_ , ignored her and held the bat up in defense. Daryl raised his hands into the air. "Easy man, I'm jus' here fer Carol," He said calmly.

Glenn's eyes darted from Maggie and then back to Daryl as though trying to decide what was going on. He looked as if he didn't believe Daryl. Daryl was glad now that Carol hadn't agreed to his idea of pretending to be Maggie's boyfriend. Apparently she only dated crazy Korean guys. Maggie stood up from the bed, taking the sheet with her.

"Put it down Glenn. This is Carol's guy, Daryl. I think he must have gotten confused about which room is hers, am I right?" She asked Daryl.

He nodded slightly. Glenn slowly lowered the bat and then immediately raised it again as Carol appeared in the doorway rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"What's going on?" She asked. She peered into the room and then her eyes widened as she took in Daryl in boxer shorts, Maggie covered in a sheet naked, and Glenn holding a bat. _At least Glenn has shorts on,_ Daryl thought to himself.

Glenn put his hand over his chest. "Jesus, Carol. You scared the hell out of me," He panted.

Carol ignored him and focused on the scene in front of her. Daryl knew this looked awkward and now he was suddenly regretting his whole decision about sneaking into her room. Next time, he would just use the door and be done with it. "I thought I was climbin' in yer window," He said.

"It was just a misunderstanding. He thought I was you; I thought he was Glenn," Maggie commented.

Daryl braced himself. She was surely going to be mad at him for this. To his surprise and relief though, Carol started to laugh. She laughed so hard that he and Maggie exchanged a look as she gasped for breath. Finally she seemed to pull herself together a bit.

"You should see all of your faces," She panted. "This is priceless!"

Daryl frowned and went around to pick up his clothes. He shot Glenn a glare as he stalked by, daring him to even attempt to swing his bat. He walked over to Carol and grabbed her arm, calling a quick goodnight to Maggie over his shoulder as he maneuvered her down to what he _hoped_ was actually her room this time.

...

Carol tried to get her laughter under control, she really did. Every time she thought about the scene she had seen in front of her, she burst into another fit of giggles and Daryl shot her another look. He shut her door and tossed his clothes in a heap at the end of the bed. Her giggles died at the look in his eye. She recognized that look. It was the same look he had given her last time before they had had sex. It had the ability to make her lose all capability of rational thought.

She grabbed him by the hand and pulled him over by the bed. She peeled his boxers off, his breath sucking in slightly. He hadn't let her pleasure him this way last time, but she was determined this time. She wanted to taste him. She saw the indecision cross his face as she knelt before him and she spoke before he could protest.

"Please let me do this for you. I want to," She whispered.

Before he could respond, she grabbed him in her hand and gave him a firm squeeze. She wasn't entirely sure of what she was doing, but she was determined to make this good for him. He groaned as she stroked her hand up and down his hard length. He hadn't made any move to move her from in front of him, so she took that as his consent to continue. Hesitantly she flicked her tongue out and circled the tip of him. He jerked slightly and his hand moved around to cup the back of her head. Encouraged by his response she opened her mouth and slowly took him inside, sucking in as she pulled away. His fingers threaded into her hair.

"Carol," He bit out roughly.

She grinned and then repeated the action several times until she felt him gently applying pressure to encourage her not to stop. She pulled back slightly and ran her tongue down the side, glancing up to see his expression. He was staring down at her, his eyes glazed, and his breathing heavy. She used her hands to squeeze him and watched in fascination as a drop of cum formed at the tip. She leaned forward and sucked it off, making sure not to leave a drop behind. It was salty and slightly tangy but it wasn't as bad as she thought.

"Jesus!" He groaned and he lifted her up gently and threw her onto the bed. She lay back and stared at him, thankful that she was on the pill and they didn't have to worry about condoms. She spread her legs in invitation and he smirked before crawling over her and entering her slowly. She gasped at his entrance. The friction she felt was wonderful and she could already feel herself building to her release. She had enjoyed bringing him pleasure. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he thrusted inside of her. She could feel his arms trembling with his efforts beside her head and she wrapped her hands around his neck to pull him down for a kiss. Their lips crashed together, tongues colliding as she trembled and then gasped, her body bucking beneath his as her orgasm overtook her. He followed suit moments later, biting on his lip as he rode out his own wave of pleasure. He pulled out and fell beside of her, his breathing heavy. She curled up next to him, ignoring the fact that they were sideways on the bed.

"Stay with me until I fall asleep?" She asked.

He nodded. "Alright." His arm curled around her back and soon she was asleep, breathing softly.


	32. Chapter 32

**...**

When Carol's alarm clock buzzed the next morning to tell her to get up, she lifted her hand and blindly hit the snooze button. As excited as she was about her job, she was more excited about sleep. Having Daryl over last night had kept her from getting the proper sleep for her first day on the job. Sometime in the night he had woken her up _twice_ , kissing her and touching her. She had responded enthusiastically of course, but now she was regretting it. She would have to limit the nights that he stayed over from now on as much as she hated to. If he was here, then she knew she wouldn't be able to resist him. She severely doubted that he would be able to keep his hands to himself and she needed her sleep to function.

She had felt him leave over an hour ago. His lips had brushed her forehead as he had gathered his clothes from the floor. She had mumbled something sleepily about using the door this time and he had chuckled before leaving her room. As much of a distraction that he was, she missed him being next to her in the bed. His warmth and presence was so comforting to her that the bed felt empty without it. Her alarm buzzed again and she groaned and groggily sat up to turn it off. She yawned and then blindly grabbed up her clothes for the day before padding into the hallway to head to the bathroom. She jumped slightly as Glenn exited the bathroom moments before she reached the door.

He nodded at her, appearing just as sleepy as she was. "Mornin'."

Carol yawned again. "Morning, Slugger," she teased as she bypassed him to enter the bathroom.

She took a semi-cold shower in hopes that the cooler water would help to wake her up some. It worked somewhat and when she exited the shower and dressed, she felt a little more alert than she had previously. She styled her hair as best as she could and spotted Maggie's make-up on the counter. She reached inside and borrowed a little mascara and lipstick, hoping Maggie wouldn't mind. She had never owned more than foundation and the only reason she had that was to cover the bruises that Ed would leave on her face. She sighed and looked at herself in the mirror when she was finished. She had to admit she didn't look half bad. She wondered what Daryl would think about seeing her with make-up on.

She left the bathroom and stopped back by her room to gather her purse and anything else she needed for the day before making her way into the kitchen where she could smell the aroma of fresh coffee. She inhaled the strong scent as she walked into the kitchen. Maggie was at the counter, munching on a muffin as she sipped at her coffee.

"I borrowed some of your make-up. I hope that was okay," Carol commented.

"Help yourself," Maggie said sleepily. She held out the container of muffins. "Muffin?"

Carol nodded and selected a blueberry muffin. She wasn't really hungry, but she knew better than to go to work on an empty stomach. "Thanks." She bit into the muffin and had to admit it was good for store bought. She grabbed a coffee mug from the cabinet and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Where's our baseball champ?" 

Maggie snorted. "He slipped out a few minutes ago. I can't believe he did that. What did he actually think he was going to do with that bat anyway, _clobber_ Daryl to death?"

Carol chuckled. "Don't be too hard on him. He was defending your honor. I think it's kind of cute."

Maggie sighed. "You're right. It _is_ kind of cute, but it was also really awkward. I thought Daryl knew which room was yours?"

Carol shrugged. "I did too. I guess he got confused. I bet he won't make that mistake again. I made him use the door this morning." She finished off her muffin and continued sipping her coffee.

Maggie set her empty mug in the sink. "So what does he think about your new job? Was he excited?"

Carol paused and furrowed her brow. "Crap! I still haven't told him yet!"

Maggie smiled wickedly. "Didn't do much talkin' last night, huh?"

Carol laughed and felt her face redden slightly. "This conversation is over. I need to get to work." She grabbed up her purse to make sure that she had everything she needed.

Maggie picked up her car keys. "Come on, I'll drop you off."

"It's okay. I can walk," Carol protested.

Maggie waved away her protests. "It's on my way. Besides, I can tease you in the car and you can't get away." Maggie laughed as Carol shot her a look before they walked out of the apartment.

They never even saw the person standing in the shadows, watching and waiting.

...

Merle was having a pretty good day. He had woken up this morning prepared to find something to do. Daryl was still sleeping when he padded into the kitchen to make some coffee before his shower. He had just finished showering and was headed out to his bike when a tow truck slowed and reversed into the driveway. Merle's eyes lit up with excitement as he spotted the red Shelby GT 500 sitting on the back. He rubbed his hands together in excitement. He had been waiting on this car and wondering when the man was going to send it over. He walked down the steps and over to the driver as he lowered the bed so that he could get the car down.

"You Merle Dixon?" The man asked.

Merle nodded. "That'd be me," he said as he let his gaze fall lovingly on the car.

The man looked him up and down. "Need to see some identification."

"Paranoid 'bout leavin' her, huh? Don't much blame ya." Merle reached into his back pocket for his wallet and showed the man his driver's license. The man studied it then nodded.

"Mr. Davis said he would be in touch with you in a few days. I assume he discussed all of the repairs that he needed done to the vehicle?" He scribbled on a clipboard as he talked.

"He did. Let him know I'll have her good as new in no time," Merle replied.

The man nodded as he made more scribbles. He tore off a piece of paper and handed it to Merle. "These are his numbers if you need him. He has a charge account at Byrd's Automotive in town. Any parts you need for it, you can charge to him. Here are the keys." He passed them to Merle who stuck them in his pocket. "Just tell me where to put her." 

Merle directed him around the back of the house and in front of the garage. He would get Daryl to help him get it underneath there later. When the man was finally gone and Merle was alone with the car, he grabbed a clean shop rag and ran it lovingly over the car. He was completely in love with this car. He couldn't wait to get under the hood and see all that she had to offer. Abandoning his earlier plan of going to look for work, he cranked up the radio and popped the hood. He couldn't wait a minute more to get started. If there was anything in this world that anyone could say that Merle Dixon was passionate about, it would be cars. He loved cars. Especially the classic muscle cars. It was his dream to own his own one day.

He had just gotten down on the ground to scoot underneath the hood when he spotted the new neighbor walking over in his direction. He watched as the man's eyes widened when he spotted the car.

"Hey," he called, "Merle, right?"

Merle nodded. "Sorry, can't remember your name?"

He smiled. "T-Dog, or T, either one is fine by me." He whistled in appreciation, "She yours?" He nodded at the car.

Merle shook his head. "No. Workin' on her for someone. I wish she was mine." Both men stood side by side and admired the car. T-Dog walked around the car, slowly checking it out.

"Sixty-nine?"

Merle nodded, surprised. "Ya know your cars," he remarked.

T-Dog nodded. "I do. Point out any car and I could tell you the make, model, and year no problem. Put me under the hood with a wrench and I'm lost though."

Merle respected a man who knew his cars even if he didn't know how to work on them. He had spotted the man's nineteen sixty-five, sky blue, Ford truck in his driveway. It gleamed like a new penny.

Merle nodded to it now. "Ya got yourself a nice ride."

"Thanks. It used to be my father's. When he passed, I had a buddy of mine fix it up for me. Runs smooth as silk," He grinned. "She run?" He pointed at the car.

"Fuck yeah she does, but she's not ready to drive. I can fire her up though." He fished in his pocket for the keys and slid behind the wheel excitedly. As soon as he turned the key, the car fired up, the engine purring loudly. He grinned at T-Dog and revved the motor slightly. The car responded immediately, growling like a beast. He let it idle for a moment and then shut it off again.

"What's going on? Who's car is this?" Daryl's voice rang out from behind them.

"You remember I told ya I was workin' on it in exchange for my release," Merle told him.

Recognition flashed through Daryl's eyes then. " _This_ is the car? Shit," Daryl commented as his eyes fell upon the car. He nodded at T-Dog. "How's it going man?"

"Goin' pretty good. I actually came over here to talk to the both of you about something," T-Dog replied. Merle turned to the man curiously. "I've got a friend with a bike that was lookin' for someone to give it a tune up, clean the carb, and maybe just check it out to make sure everything's in good running order. There isn't really anywhere around here that works specifically on motorcycles and he's real picky about who he lets work on it. I mentioned you two and he wanted me to see if he could drop by one day and talk to you about doing the work. He said if you're good, he's got friends who are looking for someone to work on theirs as well. I didn't know if you guys had time to work on anything." T-Dog looked at them both.

"Shit yes, we got time!" Merle exclaimed. "You're lookin' at the best two mechanics in the whole state of Georgia and the best damn bike man you'll ever find." Merle slapped his startled brother on the back.

Today was definitely a good day for Merle Dixon.

...

Carol was exhausted by the time that lunch rolled around. She still hadn't fully learned the computer, but Philip assured her that she was doing just fine. He had only had time to give her a thirty minute crash course on using it and she was surprised by how much was actually involved. There were appointments to keep up with, papers to file, forms to copy, and phone calls to make. She was determined to keep at it though and she smiled while she was doing it. She kept remembering how sour the other secretary had been and she didn't want to be anything like that. She worked so hard that morning that she almost skipped lunch until Philip walked out of his office and told her to take a break. Only then did she pause to take a breath.

"We usually close up from twelve to one for lunch but we're running a little behind today. Go ahead and take an hour now and get yourself something to eat. You deserve it for working so hard this morning. I honestly don't know how I would have made it through this morning without you." He smiled and stepped back into his office, leaving the door open.

She didn't know either. She felt like she had been running a marathon all morning and she had barely left her desk. Only now did she realize that her stomach was growling at her for food. That muffin hadn't lasted as long as she had hoped. Lunch was sounding better and better. So was a nap. She gathered up her purse and stopped by his office.

"Can I bring you anything?" 

He shook his head politely. "No thank you. I've got some energy bars stashed in my desk. You'll come to find that during busy periods, I rarely eat. _Especially_ on court days." He chuckled. She smiled at him and turned to leave. "Carol?" 

She stuck her head back in the door. "Yes?"

"I meant to tell you that I talked to the judge this morning and we're going to go ahead and set up an initial court date. There's still no word on where Ed is hiding out,but Sheriff Grimes assures me that they have some new leads they are checking into."

Carol wondered if that was true or if they really did have leads. It seemed like they had been saying that constantly since she had left Ed and he had disappeared. She figured they were just saying things like that to appease her and she didn't get her hopes up about it. "Won't Ed have to be there?"

Philip shook his head. "Not in this case. I've talked to the judge and he's agreed to go ahead with this without Ed for now. This is just a preliminary hearing so it's nothing to be nervous about. You'll be asked some questions and I just need you to answer them as honestly as possible. It shouldn't take more than an hour at best. I'll let you know when I get that set up."

"Okay," Carol replied. She waved goodbye and then headed outside to find somewhere to grab some food.

She was nervous about the upcoming court date. She didn't know what kinds of questions she would be asked. She really just wished she could skip through all of the red tape and just be done with the whole thing, but she knew it didn't work that way. There were procedures to follow for everything and she knew that was another reason that Ed was hiding out. He wanted to drag this out as long as possible to prove that she couldn't get rid of him that easily. He was vindictive like that. Hopefully, the sheriff was being honest about the new leads and they would catch Ed soon. She just didn't have a good feeling in her gut about this. Everything was going too smoothly. In her experience, she knew that there was always silence before the fallout. She just didn't know how much longer she had until then.

................


	33. Chapter 33

**...**

Carol was exhausted by the time five o'clock rolled around and she was able to leave the law office. It was apparent to her now that the secretary that had been there before her had been slacking _a lot_. Between organizing and updating files and phone calls, she felt like she had already worked a forty hour work week. Philip had assured her that it would all calm down in a few days once she got the hang of it. He had also praised her repeatedly for her great work. Despite the fact that she was exhausted, she really had enjoyed her day though. After she had gotten back from lunch, she had felt a little better about things overall and she had jumped right into working without a second thought. She was just going to take it day by day and try to roll with the punches, whether they be good or bad.

The walk home didn't take as long as she had thought and she actually found it quite nice to stretch her legs out a bit. The day was beautiful and she found herself daydreaming as she walked along. She thought about what her life would finally be like after her divorce was final and she thought about her relationship with Daryl. She really wanted to pursue it further and see where it might go over time. She wondered what his day had been like and what he had spent it doing. It was going to take her some time to get used to the fact that she wouldn't see him when she got home. Her home was in the apartment with Maggie now. As nice of a place as it was, she would trade it all to be back with Merle and Daryl. Not that there was something wrong with Maggie, it was just that she had gotten accustomed to living with the two brothers. There was something comforting about just knowing that they were there.

She sighed as she walked up the steps and let herself into the apartment. Maggie hadn't made it home yet from the looks of it so she locked the door behind her and made her way into the shower. As the hot water cascaded over her tired joints, she imagined that Daryl was there with her. She remembered the one shower that they had had together. Her face grew flushed at how much she had enjoyed that shower. As fun as it was imagining Daryl with her now, it wasn't even _close_ to him actually being there in person.

She finished up her shower and then stood there in front of the mirror naked for several moments trying to see what Daryl saw in her. After being told over and over by Ed that she was ugly and no good to anyone, it was almost hard to believe that Daryl found her attractive in any way. She didn't think she was anything special to look at but she could also see that maybe Ed had been wrong as well. Her hand hovered over her belly for several moments as she turned this way and that to get a good look at herself. Her belly wasn't flat like some of the women out there these days, but it wasn't sticking out there either. She had wide hips and her breasts were high and firm. She was pale, but then again she had always been pale. No matter how hard she had tried, she wouldn't tan; overexposure to the sun made her burn and her skin would peel. Her hair was shoulder length and even though she was only thirty, she already had more than her fair share of gray hair. She supposed that overall she would consider herself average.

At the sound of the front door opening, she felt herself instantly tense. She opened the bathroom door a crack and peeked her head out. She could hear shuffling noises coming from the kitchen.

"Maggie, is that you?"

"Yeah! I just got home," Maggie called back.

Carol let out a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding and shut the bathroom door back. She had gotten that creepy sense that someone had been watching her this afternoon but she hadn't seen anyone and the sensation had passed after a few minutes so she had dismissed it as her own paranoia. She dried her hair with a towel and quickly dressed into something much more comfortable before heading into the kitchen to join Maggie, who was rummaging around in the fridge.

"Ugh! We need to go to the grocery store soon. This is awful! We're two grown women and we have nothing to cook in our house." Maggie's voice was muffled slightly as she stuck her head in the refrigerator.

"Can we go tomorrow? I'm so tired. All I want to do is curl up in front of the TV and relax. We can order in again, my treat."

Maggie stood up quickly and shut the fridge door. "Say no more. You've convinced me. Truth be told, I don't feel like going today either." Maggie sat down heavily on one of the stools by the bar.

"Long day?" 

"Very. Today was court day for some of the officers, so I had to man the front desk _and_ virtually everything else with no help," Maggie complained.

Carol sighed. "I know how you feel. I found out firsthand just how much work Philip's lovely secretary had been getting done before she quit."

Maggie winced. "That bad, huh?"

Carol nodded. " _Oh yeah_." She crossed over to the take out menus that Maggie had stashed on top of the fridge and spread them on the counter. "Pick one."

Maggie smiled. "How about Chinese? I could go for some sweet and sour chicken. Ooh, and don't forget the egg rolls!" She jumped up from the stool. "I'm going to go change while you think about what you want. We can order whenever you get ready."

Carol glanced down at the menu in her hand. There were so many choices and she was suddenly starving. She hadn't eaten much during lunch because she had been too focused on what Philip had said about court and now her stomach was making a protest. She finally decided on egg drop soup and teriyaki chicken and she grabbed a pen to jot down their selections.

...

It had been a productive day for Daryl today. T-Dog's friend Greg had ended up coming over not long after T had said he would call him and they had spent the better part of the afternoon talking about bikes and cars. Daryl actually found himself enjoying his brother's company for a change. They had stood around shooting the shit for a bit and Greg had seemed to be enjoying himself as well. Greg had agreed to let Daryl and Merle have a shot at fixing it and they agreed on a time that was convenient for everyone for him to drop it off the next day.

If everything went the way Daryl envisioned it would and Greg was satisfied, then he and Merle would soon have themselves more work than they had hoped for. It would at least be enough to hold them over for another month. Daryl was excited about the prospect of working from home. He didn't want to get his hopes up too high just yet, but everything seemed to be turning in their favor for once. He only wished that Carol were around so that he could tell her about it. She hadn't said anything about coming over to her place later when he had left this morning so he wasn't sure if he should try to go over there again or not. He knew he _definitely_ wouldn't be making the mistake of going in the wrong window again, that was for sure.

He glanced over at T who was talking to Merle about the difference between Chevrolet and Ford when he had an idea. "Hey T, mind if I borrow your phone?" Daryl asked.

T reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone that he passed over to Daryl. "No problem."

Daryl accepted it gratefully. He was intending to call Carol, but then he realized that he didn't have her number. "Hey Merle," he called. "What's Beth's last name?"

Merle frowned, his lips pursed in thought. "Shit. It's a color or somethin'...oh yeah, I think it's Green."

"Yeah, that sounds right," Daryl replied. He slipped into the house and rummaged around in the drawers of the kitchen until he located the phone book they had received in the mail a few weeks ago. Flipping through he searched for the last name Green, but came up with nothing. Frowning, he began scanning the whole section under 'G' until he finally located Maggie's name. Apparently, _Green_ was spelled with an _'e'_ at the end of it. He rolled his eyes as he dialed the number.

It rang several times and he thought for a minute that they might not be home until finally someone answered. Since he didn't immediately recognize Maggie's voice he fumbled for several seconds. "Uh, can I speak to Carol?" 

"Who's calling?"

"Daryl."

"Oh, hey Daryl! Did you guys get a phone?"

Daryl assumed he was talking to Maggie now. "Nah, I'm using the neighbor's phone. Carol around?"

"Yeah, just a second." He heard Maggie fumbling with the phone and then voices in the background before Carol came on the line.

"Daryl?" 

"Yeah."

"I was just thinking about you earlier! How was your day?" 

"Pretty good. Think we got us some work to do at the end of this week. Yours?"

"That's great! I'm pretty tired. I never got the chance to tell you about my new job."

Daryl frowned. "Job?"

"Yeah, I'm working for Philip Blake's law firm. He's the same one who is representing me for the divorce."

Daryl thought he vaguely remembered her mentioning the guy. He couldn't believe he was just now hearing about it. "You like it?" 

"I do! I like it very much."

There was silence for several minutes as he tried to think of something else to say. He hadn't ever been one to talk on a phone. He didn't much like talking in person much less on a phone, but he had wanted to hear her voice. He had also wanted to see about sneaking over there again later.

"What are you doing later?" He asked.

He could feel her hesitate. "Um, I'm kind of tired tonight, Daryl. Maybe this weekend when everything calms down at work?"

Daryl felt as if someone had let the air out of his sails. _So this was how it was going to be. She was too busy for him now?_ It was only the beginning of the week. He didn't know if he had the patience to wait until the weekend. "What about lunch? Can I take you out to lunch?"

"I don't know. We couldn't go out in public."

"Well how the hell am I suppose to see you then? You can't have friends or nothin'?" He was getting a little angry, but he couldn't help it. It seemed like there was always an obstacle he had to jump over for everything he did.

"Why don't you pick something up beforehand and we can drive down to the park and eat in the truck or something?" 

Daryl relaxed a bit. Maybe she wasn't trying to brush him off. "I can do that. What time?"

"Philip said we usually close from twelve to one so just be there about eleven forty-five I guess."

"Alright. I'll see you then...night."

"Goodnight Daryl. Sweet dreams."

............


	34. Chapter 34

**...**

Daryl pulled the truck into the parking lot of the lawyer's office at eleven thirty. He had tried to kill as much time as possible that morning but he had still ended up getting there early. He hadn't known what to bring to eat. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to bring something romantic or just run through a drive-thru somewhere. He didn't really know anything about romantic foods though and he wasn't sure what to order at a drive-thru. He didn't know how hungry she would be either. After much debate with himself he had finally chosen fried chicken. He had gotten a big box of it that had come with potato salad and rolls. It wasn't gourmet and he really hoped that Carol liked fried chicken.

He knew that _he_ was definitely hungry. He hadn't eaten anything for breakfast, having gotten so accustomed to Carol's cooking that nothing that he could make appealed to him. Not that there were a lot of options. He had yet to go to the grocery store and he was dreading it. The smell of the chicken sitting in the seat next to him was making his mouth water and he was sorely tempted to grab a piece from the box and eat it while he waited. He resisted the urge and instead got out of the truck and lit a cigarette, leaning against the side as he waited. There were only a couple of cars in the parking lot and he figured at least one of them must belong to the lawyer guy.

He thought about how Carol probably had to walk to work everyday and he wasn't too sure he liked that. Granted, she was close to town and the neighborhood wasn't as questionable as his was, but Ed was still out there somewhere. The thought that Ed could essentially drive by and grab her up made his jaw tighten.

He wondered how in the hell the stupid bastard was keeping himself hidden from the cops. From what he remembered Ed wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the box. He pondered on that for several minutes. Either Ed was smarter than people gave him credit for, which Daryl doubted, _or_ the cops weren't as smart as people thought. Unless they weren't really looking as hard as they had claimed to Carol, which sounded more probable and pissed Daryl off to no end.

He had just finished his cigarette when the door opened. Turning with a smile, he expected to find Carol exiting the building. Instead he found himself staring at Shane Walsh. He was dressed in regular clothing so Daryl assumed he must have been off duty. What he didn't understand was what the man was doing at the lawyer's office where Carol worked. Ribbons of jealousy weaved through him.

"Dixon." Shane nodded at him. "Keepin' yourself out of trouble?" He smiled sarcastically.

Daryl scowled, "Just waiting on Carol."

Shane nodded as he leaned across the hood of his car, staring at Daryl. "She'll be out in a few minutes. She's doing some last minute stuff for Blake."

Daryl tried to ignore the man. He knew that Shane was just trying to get a rise out of him. That's what the man did. He tried to get under people's skin but he did it in such a way that he still came out looking and smelling like a rose. Daryl knew better. The man was slick and had a temper from what Daryl remembered.

"What are you doing here? Getting some legal advice?" Daryl couldn't resist asking.

Shane chuckled and ran a hand over his hair. "Nah, just dropping some papers off for Blake about Carol's upcoming court date."

"What court date?" Daryl frowned. Carol hadn't mentioned anything about having a court date yet. Did that mean that they had found Ed?

Shane's smile grew wider. "Oh, you didn't know? I figured she told you everything. Maybe I shouldn't say anything in case she doesn't want you to know. I'll just let her make that decision. I've got to get going, got some stuff to do." Shane waved his hand up and got into his vehicle.

Daryl chewed on his thumb a minute as he watched the car exit the lot. This time when the door opened Carol stepped out, a smile spreading across her face as she saw him standing there.

"Hey you," she said as she approached him.

He nodded, his eyebrows drawn together in thought. She glanced at him curiously but crossed to the passenger side of the truck and climbed in. She sniffed at the bag on the seat as he started the truck.

"Smells good." She closed her eyes and rubbed her stomach, temporarily distracting him.

He backed up and began driving towards the park. "You didn't tell me about your court date," he said after a few minutes.

She frowned, "I didn't?"

He shook his head. "You didn't. How come?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, Daryl. I thought I had mentioned it. I was tired when we talked yesterday."

He felt like she was pulling away from him and he wasn't sure what to do about it. Maybe she was trying to brush him off. The thought didn't sit well with him.

"So you gonna tell me about it?" He asked impatiently.

"There's not much to tell. I don't even know that much. Philip is supposed to get the court date set up and the judge is just going to be asking me some questions," she replied.

"What kinds of questions?" 

She sighed, "I'm not entirely sure. I guess about my relationship with Ed who is _still_ no where to be found. Listen, can we talk about something else? I really just want to spend some time with you and not think about Ed."

Daryl nodded, relieved that she wanted to spend time with him. Maybe they could talk about it more later. He really wanted to know what would be happening at the hearing. He was anxious for the judge to grant Carol a divorce so that he was free to see her anytime he wanted. He couldn't stand sneaking around to see her. He had gotten used to seeing her everyday at their house and now it felt like he barely saw her at all.

He pulled into a parking space underneath some shady trees and cut the truck off. In the distance he could see a couple of women walking the perimeter of the park and one man walking his dog on the other side. Other than that, it appeared that they were alone.

Carol slid over a little, moving the bag out of her way. "So do I get a kiss?" She teased.

He blushed at her forwardness. He didn't speak, he just grabbed the back of her head and pulled her forward until her lips touched his.

It was like setting a match to oil. He had intended to just give her a soft kiss, but as soon as he felt her lips on his, he lost it. She moaned into his mouth a little as their tongues met and he grabbed her hips, scooting her closer to his body. Her hands fluttered underneath his shirt to roam across his chest and he growled deep in his throat. His hands tangled into her hair as he pulled her over into his lap so that she was straddling him. She gasped as she settled against his obvious erection. He pulled back from her lips to suckle gently at her neck, making her whimper softly. She leaned into him, rubbing against him lightly.

Finally she pulled back from him, both of them breathing heavily. Her hair was a little messed up and her face was flushed. "We can't do this. Not here," she whispered.

Daryl nodded, reluctantly letting her crawl back over into her seat. He struggled to get his hormones in check.

"What did you bring to eat?" She asked as she dug into the bag seconds later. He chuckled. "What?"

"You went from sticking your tongue down my throat straight to thinkin' about food?" 

She giggled. "Well I _am_ hungry and I think we just spent twenty minutes of my lunch break making out."

"I got fried chicken."

Carol moaned as she opened the box. "Oooh, this smells good!"

"You keep doing that and we're gonna have to find someplace private," he commented.

She glanced at him, her face turning red. "If we had more time maybe. I'm starving though." She opened the container of potato salad next.

"You can bring your chicken. We can multitask," he grinned.

She paused in the process of taking a bite out of a drumstick. She looked like she was seriously considering the idea for a moment and Daryl started to get his hopes up a little. Then she laughed.

"I've missed you so much Daryl," she said as she bit into the chicken. "How's Merle?"

Daryl sighed. Obviously she had thought he was joking when he hadn't been. The mention of Merle _did_ help him with his problem down below though.

"Merle's...Merle," he replied. "There's nothing real interesting about him."

"He's doing okay though, right? No slip-ups? Has Beth still been coming by?"

Daryl chuckled. "Damn woman, slow down. Eat your food. He hasn't slipped up yet. Haven't seen Beth at the place since she came by with Maggie that time," he replied.

She rolled her eyes. "I wish you wouldn't say that."

He frowned. "Say what?"

She finished chewing a bite of potato salad before replying. "I wish you wouldn't say it like that. That he hasn't screwed up _yet_."

Now it was Daryl's turn to roll his eyes. "Just being honest."

"No. You're expecting him to fail and you shouldn't. I know his track record isn't the greatest, but he's really trying Daryl. You should try to be more supportive of him. Maybe you guys can bond a little," She said.

Daryl grabbed a piece of the chicken out of the box and snorted. "Merle doesn't _bond_. What you want us to do? Order pizza and paint each other's toenails?" 

Carol laughed so hard her piece of chicken fell out of her mouth. He stared at her with an amused expression. She had the sexiest laugh he had ever seen and he wanted nothing more than to drive them back to his place and dive into bed with her. It annoyed him that they couldn't. Instead he bit into his chicken, his frustration evident.

Finally Carol seemed to get her bearings and she wiped at the tears that had formed in the corner of her eyes. She glanced at his scowl and chuckled. "You have no idea the kind of image I had in my head when you said that. That was hilarious."

"Well isn't that what chicks do?" 

She smiled at him and he unwillingly felt himself returning her smile. "Something like that," she replied. She grabbed his shirt, taking the chicken leg out of his hands before he could bite into it. She tossed it behind her into the box. "I've got five minutes left so let's make them count."

.........


	35. Chapter 35

**...**

When Daryl pulled back up into the driveway after dropping Carol back at work, he was feeling pretty good. He had enjoyed his time with her even though it had only been an hour. She had promised him that this weekend he could come over and spend the night and he found himself looking forward to that. He parked the truck and grabbed up the rest of the chicken thinking he would heat himself up a plate of it since he hadn't eaten much.

He let himself into the house and set the box on the counter and then went looking for Merle to see if he wanted any. He wasn't in his room and when Daryl looked out back he noticed that his bike was missing. He shrugged and went into the living room to take off his boots. That's when he noticed that the coffee table they had in front of the couch had been moved. The reason that he noticed this was because they _never_ moved furniture. If it wasn't broke, they didn't fix it. But the table had clearly been moved because you could see the indentures in the shoddy carpet from where it had sat in the same place for so long.

Daryl sat back a moment. Suddenly something didn't feel right. Abandoning his efforts to take off his boots he slowly perused the house, trying to get a sense of what was off about it. He paused a moment at his room before stepping inside. He stole another glance around the living room and then threw open his bedroom door, pausing just inside the doorway. At first glance, the room looked untouched and then Daryl saw the curtain move slightly. He crossed over and whipped it out of the way only to find out that the window was open a fraction of an inch. He frowned.

Someone had been in their house.

...

Merle loved walking into automotive stores. He figured it was probably something like how women seemed to love shopping. He loved all things cars. He walked into the store intending to place an order for some parts he would need for the car he was working on when he got sidetracked by a display up front. He was busy playing with the ratchets and wrenches when he felt someone pause next to him.

"Hey stranger. Long time no see."

Merle looked up and into the face of Andrea. He couldn't say that he was particularly happy to see her, especially how she had let him walk part of the way home that last time before Beth had shown up. He glanced at her with dull interest. She was dressed in clothes that looked like they were about two sizes too small for her. Normally that kind of thing might attract his interest a little bit, but he was surprised to find that he was quite put off by it. His attention was more attracted to a little petite blonde who left everything to his imagination instead of letting it all hang out.

"Hmph," Merle grunted.

"Are you still sore about last time baby?" She trailed a hand down his shirt as he stood up.

He backed up a step, gently removing her hand. "Somethin' like that."

She pressed her lips up into a pout. "Now Merle, you know I was only kiddin' with you. You took off before I could drive you. I can make it up to you. Let's go back to your place."

He could tell she was already a little strung out on something. He grimaced as he looked at her and saw himself, what he must have looked like so many times before. Like _shit_. Who was he kidding? Everyone must have known. He shook his head in disgust.

"Nah, I'm good. Kinda seein' somebody," he said.

Her lip curled. "The little blonde girl?"

Merle tensed, "How did ya know 'bout that?" 

She huffed. "Word gets around. You know what Merle? You can pretend to be this changed person if you want, acting like you're better than the rest of us now that you've got a little clean time under your belt, but you're not. You'll come back soon enough. They all do. The high is too sweet baby and you know you can't resist." She smirked at him and walked out of the store.

Merle gripped the wrench in his hand tightly. He could feel the others in the store glancing his way. Suddenly he didn't feel like being there anymore. He didn't want everyone staring at him, judging him.

There was only one person he wanted to see and she wouldn't judge him.

...

It didn't take long for him to find the directions that he needed. Most people in town knew where Hershel Greene lived. He didn't know what possessed him to drive in that direction, but he did. He pulled up at the end of the little dirt road with the barn shaped mailbox that read  _Greene_  and stopped the bike. He swallowed hard and debated on turning around.

"Fuck! Quit bein' a pussy!" He cursed at himself.

He drove the bike down the dirt road hoping like hell he didn't get shot on sight. He saw her car as soon as he pulled into the gate and she came onto the porch before he even had the kickstand out. She stood there for several seconds staring at him and then she walked down the steps and stopped just in front of him.

"Is everything okay?" 

He nodded, but then he shook his head no. She frowned. He couldn't breathe. He wanted a drink and his head was pounding. "Shit. I need a minute," he said. She nodded, her expression filled with worry. He rubbed the back of his neck then looked at her. "Walk with me?" 

She smiled softly, "Sure."

She fell into step beside him. He realized that he didn't have any damn idea about where to go, but then he thought of something.

"Your Pa home? I ain't gonna get shot bein' here am I?"  He was having a real bad day and getting shot would be the last thing he needed right now.

She shook her head. "Today is usually his busiest day of the week because he's short one vet tech, so he's always home late."

He stared out in the distance for several minutes and then nodded. They started walking again and she slipped her hand into his casually. He jerked and then relaxed slightly as she squeezed his hand reassuringly. They walked along the edge of the fence in silence and he realized this was the first time he had ever been here. The farm was huge. It seemed to stretch on for miles and there were animals and a couple of barns spread out over the property. He slowed and then she took the lead, tugging on his hand slightly to get him to follow. He let her lead him down past several large oaks and pine trees to a small pond. She sat down on a fallen log and patted the spot next to her. Feeling out of sorts, he sat down and stared out at the water, not really sure what he was doing.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly.

He sighed. Normally he didn't do questions such as these and he really wasn't even sure if he could answer. But when she looked up at him with her eyes as green as emeralds, he forgot everything. He reached out a hand and grabbed her neck, pulling her into him. She went willingly, closing her eyes in anticipation.

When her lips met his, he groaned in satisfaction. _This. This was what he needed._ When she leaned forward slightly, he lifted her by her hips and sat her on his lap. He slid his tongue into her mouth tasting the flavor of mint. She wrapped her arms around his neck, settling herself against him. They stayed that way for several minutes, just exploring each other's mouths.

He finally pulled away long enough to catch his breath. She looked at him from beneath long lashes and swollen lips. Biting her lip she leaned her head back, baring her neck to him. He growled low in his throat and lowered his head to trail his tongue across her throat. He felt her shiver slightly and he nipped at her flesh lightly. When she grabbed his hands and placed them on her breasts over her t-shirt, he thought he would blow his load all into his pants. He pulled them away gently and gingerly placed her back on the log next to him.

She gazed at him in wonder and confusion. "I know I'm inexperienced-"

He growled, "Stop that shit. It ain't that," He stood up and paced in front of her. "I just...It ain't like that with ya. I want it to mean more than some ten minute fuck out in the woods, alright? You're worth more than that," he finished. She stared at him in silence for several seconds, her eyes shining with unshed tears. He rolled his eyes, "Don't ya start that cryin' shit."

She sniffed once and then nodded, wiping at her eyes. "What's going on?"

He must be going crazy. He must be losing his _fucking_ _mind_. That had to be it. Why else would he be here giving himself fucking _blue balls_ for crying out loud? On top of that he really wanted to tell her what was wrong. He wanted to spill his fucking guts and let her soothe his fears. _What in the hell was wrong with him?_

And so, he sat down next to her on the log and Merle Dixon began to talk.

...

Carol was so glad to be off of work. Things had been less hectic today after lunch and she hadn't felt the same frenzied panic of the day before. She was still tired, but it was a good tired nonetheless. She called out her goodbye to Philip, who seemed to never quit working and walked outside to begin her stroll home.

She walked down the sidewalk, glancing up at the sky a little. It was cloudy out and she was expecting it to rain down upon her any minute now. She walked a few steps and almost turned back around to call Maggie and see if she would swing by and pick her up. She chewed on it for a second and then decided against it. Maggie had mentioned something about going out with Glenn this afternoon after work and she didn't want to interrupt her time with him. Surely she could walk the few blocks home in the rain if it started before she made it to the apartment.

She sighed and rolled her neck from side to side as she walked. Her neck was a little stiff from holding it in the same position to stare at a computer screen for most of the afternoon. She wished that Daryl were around so that she could ask him to rub it for her. She smiled to herself as she walked, momentarily lost in her thoughts. She had had such a great time with him during lunch. It had been nice to just be with him and she enjoyed seeing him smile. He had the most beautiful smile of any man she had ever seen. His smile was so endearing and used so seldom that when he chose to grace you with it, it nearly took your breath away.

She stopped at a crosswalk and waited for the light to turn green so that she could walk across. She was more than halfway there and she was so ready to just soak in a warm bath for a bit. Maybe she would borrow one of Maggie's romance novels to read for the evening. She was jarred from her thoughts as the light turned green and herself and one other man began to walk across. She looked out in the distance as the thunder rumbled overhead and that's when she saw him.

Ed was standing underneath the shadows of an awning on one of the stores. She sucked in a breath and paused, her heart beating rapidly. She closed her eyes and tried to swallow down the panic that threatened to consume her. _No way. No way was he here in public in front of everyone._ When she opened her eyes again and looked around, there was no one there. She passed slowly by the store, trying to peer into the glass windows. It was hard to make out anything with the weather being like it was and she shivered as she continued on. She glanced over her shoulder several times as she sped up a little, now more anxious than ever to make it to the apartment.

She let out a deep relieved breath as the apartment came into view and she rounded the building to the breezeway. She had the strangest prickling sensation as if she was being watched. She pulled her key from her pocket and quickly unlocked the door, rushing inside to lock it back. She peered through the peephole but she didn't see anyone. She shook her head a little. It had to be her imagination playing tricks on her. It had to be the weather casting odd shadows here and there, making her see things. She went through the apartment, flicking on lights and dropped her purse onto the counter. She wished Maggie were around instead of out with Glenn. She really didn't care much for storms, especially when she was alone.

A crack of thunder had her jumping and then she laughed at herself. She was being ridiculous over nothing. She went into her room to grab a comfy pair of clothes to change into. She would take a quick bath before the storm got there and then she would curl up with a good book. She paused by Maggie's room and then went inside and selected a book from the shelf for later. As she turned out the light to head for the bathroom, she never noticed the light fluttering of the curtain and the open window just behind it.

............


	36. Chapter 36

...

It felt so good to take a quick soak in the tub. Carol dipped the washcloth into the steamy water and placed it across her neck. She sighed in pleasure. At least it was helping the crick in her neck. Thunder boomed loudly outside and she jumped again at the sound.

There had always been something about thunder that put her nerves on edge. Ever since she had been little, she had been skittish around storms. She remembered being at home alone when she was around thirteen years old and a bad storm had come through. It had shaken the windows and lightning had lit up the whole house. They had been living in her grandparents house at the time. Her Grandma had passed away and her and her parents had moved in for a while. The house had been old and drafty and Carol had sworn that every time the lightning had flashed she had seen something. She hadn't been sure what, but the shadows had jumped at her, making her quiver. She had huddled into the hallway with her blanket and a pillow, trying to calm her shaky nerves. The storm had finally passed and her parents had arrived home a few minutes later, but she had still been shaken. It was ridiculous she knew, but ever since then storms made her jumpy.

She pulled the plug and stepped out, grabbing a clean towel from the bar hanging by the tub. The thunder boomed again, not quite as loud this time, but still loud enough to let her know that the storm was far from over. She dressed a little faster than usual and ran her fingers through her hair to work out any tangles. She grabbed Maggie's book and made her way into the living room to get comfortable on the couch.

She had just rearranged the pillows and opened the book when the phone rang, it's shrillness startling her. She clutched her chest and laughed softly at herself. _What was wrong with her? Seeing things and jumping at the slightest noises?_ She crossed over to the phone and picked it up from its spot on the wall.

"Hello?" 

"Carol! Is everything okay there?" Maggie's voice came over the line.

Carol sighed and wandered into the kitchen, reaching into the fridge for something to drink. "Yeah, it's just storming here pretty bad. I don't have the TV on or anything, but I borrowed one of your books."

"Oh, that's fine. I told you that you could anytime. Listen, I'm at Glenn's and the power just went out over here so I'm calling from my cell. As soon as the storm's over, I'm coming home. It's raining so hard right now that it's going to be difficult to drive until it lets up."

Carol nodded, flinching as lightning flashed into the room and the phone crackled slightly. "I'm not sure it's such a good idea to be on the phone right now Ma-" Carol's voice died as the lights went out.

She was left clutching a dead phone in a dark apartment.

...

Daryl didn't know where in the hell this storm had come from, but it was making him anxious for some reason. He wished for the hundredth time that evening that he had a phone so that he could call and check on Maggie and Carol. He knew that she had Maggie and he was glad that she wasn't alone at least. The open window in his room made him uneasy to say the least and he needed to talk to Merle about it, but Merle hadn't made it home yet.

He found himself pacing in front of the living room windows, watching for a sign of headlights. He wasn't sure if Merle would be pulling up any minute or if he was somewhere waiting out the storm. It wasn't raining very hard yet, but from the sounds of the storm it was likely to pick up any second.

He chewed on his thumb as he paced. He had went through the whole house, looking for anything that appeared to be missing. He could tell certain things had been shuffled around, but so far it appeared that everything was still there. He couldn't figure out why someone would try to come into their house anyway. It wasn't like he and Merle had anything worth stealing. Hell the front door hadn't even been locked but yet someone had used the window and not bothered to close it back. It just didn't add up.

Headlights flashed across his forehead as someone pulled into the drive and he peered out of the window. He could just make out the sound of Merle's bike and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He sat on the arm of the couch and waited. Several seconds later he heard the sounds of footsteps on the porch and then Merle and Beth burst into the living room dripping wet. Beth was laughing as Merle shook himself off a little, spraying water droplets in her direction. They stopped as they saw Daryl sitting there staring at them.

"Hey little brother. What ya doin'?"

"Where you been Merle?"

Merle and Beth exchanged a glance and he saw Beth grab his brother's hand. He raised a brow, but didn't say anything. His brother had been acting so out of character from the Merle he once was that Daryl was simply tired of trying to figure him out. He was just going to roll with the punches and hope that Merle knew what he was doing.

"I was out with Beth. Went for a ride an' got caught in this bitch of a storm. Figured we might as well come back here since this was closer," he said.

Daryl crossed his arms and stood up. "We need to talk."

Merle frowned, "Whatever ya gotta say brother, ya can say in front of her. Ain't got nothin' to hide."

"Merle I can step into the kitchen and fix everyone something to drink." Beth glanced at Daryl. "Talk to your brother. I'm okay." She smiled up at him.

Daryl saw something flash in Merle's eyes and then Merle nodded. Beth stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to his jaw. Daryl saw Merle's jaw twitch slightly, but then he looked down at the girl with something that Daryl realized was close to affection. He shook his head. The girl was really changing his brother. She gave Daryl a smile and then made her way into the kitchen.

Merle bent down to take off his boots. "Well talk lil' brother. I'm listenin'."

Daryl sighed. "Someone's been in the house Merle."

Merle immediately stopped his movements and Daryl saw his shoulders tense. "What?" He asked softly.

Daryl began to pace again. "I almost didn't realize it until I got home and realized the coffee table had been moved. I can tell certain things have been shifted around, but nothing has been taken. My window was left open a fraction of an inch," Daryl explained.

Merle stood, much as Daryl had earlier, his efforts to remove his boots abandoned. "Who the fuck ya think it is? Ed?"

Daryl froze. Honestly the thought of Ed hadn't even crossed his mind. He just assumed that the prick would be too scared to do something that stupid. Now he had a whole new set of worries. _Carol_. He brushed past Merle and headed into the kitchen where Beth was brewing a pot of coffee.

"Beth, don't you have a cell phone?" 

She nodded. "Sure do. Do you need to use it?"

Daryl nodded, slightly relieved. He would just call over at Beth and Maggie's house to talk to Carol himself. Everything would be fine. _Wouldn't it?_

Merle walked in as he dialed the number and walked over to stand next to Beth. All Daryl got was a busy signal and he frowned.

"What's up?" Merle asked, the concern evident on his face. Daryl knew that Merle was worried about Carol. His brother had grown protective of the woman.

"Busy signal."

"Must be on the phone then. They probably just fine. They probably runnin' their mouth to someone," Merle said.

"They?" Beth asked. "Maggie's not home. I talked to her earlier. She went out with Glenn after work today."

Daryl met Merle's eyes across the counter, his blood running cold. The lights flickered once and then the room went dark.

...

Carol was trying to remain calm. Her worst fear about a storm was that the lights would go out and she would be in the dark. Now she was in the dark and cursing herself for not finding a candle or a flashlight sooner. She fumbled around in the dark, trying to make her way out of the kitchen and into the bathroom where she knew Maggie kept several candles. She bumped into something hard and slid her hands across it shakily realizing it was just the wall. She felt around with her foot and began making her way towards what she hoped was the bathroom. She was shaking slightly but she was trying to remain calm.

_Why hadn't she let Daryl come stay with her tonight? He would have kept her calm during the storm._

She sighed and felt her way along the darkness. The lightning lit the apartment up briefly and she breathed a sigh of relief that she was headed in the right direction. She never saw the shadow illuminated by the light. There was a slight sound behind her and she froze momentarily, her heart pounding in her chest. She tried to write it off as just one of those sounds that a building made from time to time, but she had an uneasy feeling in her gut. Her hands were shaking as she kept up her journey to the bathroom. She just needed to find a candle and everything would be fine. She would sit in the living room and wait on Maggie. Everything would be fine. She kept repeating that to herself over and over in her head.

Finally her hands felt the open doorway of the bathroom and she crossed the threshold, trying to get a feel for where the counter was so that she would know where the candles were. It was as her hands encountered the smooth surface that she heard the footstep behind her. It was soft but it was clearly there and she swallowed down her rising panic. There was someone in the house.

"Ma...Maggie?" 

Her hands trailed over the counter, feeling for anything that she could use as a weapon. Soap, toothbrush, mouthwash... _razor_. Her fingers closed around the handle and she held it in front of her, her breath coming out in short gasps. Another footstep.

"Who's there?" 

She heard the sound of a chuckle and her blood ran cold, her worst fears come to life.

_Ed._

...

"We've got to get to Carol. Ed's there. I can feel it. Something ain't right." Daryl could feel his panic rising. He fumbled around in the dark, stubbing his toe against the corner of the counter. "Fuck!" 

He heard the sounds of several drawers coming open and then Merle turned on a flashlight, illuminating the small space. Daryl could see the tension in his face in the glow from the flashlight. He wondered if his own face looked as tense. He imagined it was probably worse. The feelings he was experiencing at the moment had him on edge.

"Ya got your bow lil' brother?" Merle asked. His voice was eerily calm and Daryl knew that he was fighting down anger.

"Yeah, it's in the truck behind the seat where I always keep it," Daryl replied.

"Good. Let's go for a little ride." He looked down at Beth who had shuffled close to him in the darkness. "Come on darlin'. Ain't safe to leave ya here."

Daryl nodded. "Let's do this."

...

"You little _whore._ " Ed's voice rang out from the darkness. "You thought ya could leave me and then prance all over town with that redneck trailer trash?" His voice was eerily low and she knew that tone. He had only used that voice on her a few times and she had almost went to the hospital from it every time. His tone grew softer the angrier he got, especially when he had nothing to release his frustrations on... namely her.

Her hands shook so hard she feared she would drop the razor. She didn't know exactly where he was, but she was stuck in the bathroom and she could tell he wasn't in there. He was possibly lingering just outside the doorway.

"What do you want Ed?" Her voice trembled as she spoke and she cursed herself for how weak she sounded.

He chuckled. "I want my wife back, ya stupid bitch. You belong at home with your husband."

The room grew darker and she knew that he had just stepped into the doorway. "Yo..You shouldn't be here. I've got a restraining order. If the police catch you, you'll go to jail."

"Yeah? Well who's gonna call them? Seems to me like ya all alone an' without a phone."

She swallowed. She had to remain strong. She heard his heavy breathing as he moved further into the bathroom and she tightened her grip on the razor, feeling silly for holding the small object.

"Maggie will be back anytime now. Her and Glenn." At least she _hoped_ Maggie would. She could still hear the sound of the rain from outside and she prayed Maggie would decide to come on back.

Suddenly his hand shot out and he wrapped his arm around her neck, dragging her back against him. "Where's ya little redneck boyfriend? You think you're being so slick, sneaking around and fuckin' him behind my back. You never were good for much," he growled into her ear.

His hand trailed over her shirt and pinched her nipple, making her bite her lip and cry out at the pain. His arm was hurting her windpipe as he applied pressure to it. She tugged at it with her hand but he was still stronger than she was and she couldn't move his arm. He laughed. "You think you can beat me?"

She lifted the razor and drug it across his arm, praying it was sharp enough to cut his skin. She really hoped she would knick an artery or something. He cried out in shock and his arm loosened as he jerked away from her. She stumbled blindly and ran from the bathroom not really knowing where to go. She burst into Maggie's room since it was closer and slammed the door shut. She cursed the fact that the bedroom doors didn't have locks. She inched along the wall and her foot bumped into something that fell over with a thump. Stooping down low, she ran her hands over the floor, feeling for the object. She let out a gasp as her hands finally touched something hard.

_Maggie's bat._

She could hear Ed cursing and crashing into things in the bathroom and she pressed herself against the wall, the bat held tightly in her hands. The door burst open and his snarling filled the room.

"Come on out ya little cunt! You think ya somethin' don't ya? It ain't nothin' but a little scratch, but ya gonna pay for it!"

She pressed herself further against the wall and listened to him making his way around the room. She tried to slow her breathing and she stepped out from the wall, intending to creep past him back into the living room. If she could just make it to the door then she might be able to get away. She quickly realized her mistake because as she made her way across the floor he slammed into her, knocking her to the floor. Her bat flew out of her hands and landed a few feet away with a thump. He kicked her in her side and she winced in pain.

"Come on you little bitch! What's the matter with ya?" He reached down and grabbed her up by the shirt. He reared back and slapped her hard across her face. "Where's your little redneck friends now, eh? Not so brave without them around to protect ya, are ya? I bet you're fuckin' them both aren't ya? Is that how ya paid for a place to stay? Lettin' 'em get their dick wet?" 

"No! Stop it!" Carol shouted as defeat started to close in on her. He threw her to the floor again and she heard the jingle of his belt buckle accompanied by the sound of his zipper. Then she went into a frenzied panic.

"Com'ere cunt! Maybe I need to remind ya what a real man feels like. Give ya a little taste of what ya missin'," he spat.

Carol couldn't stop the next words to come out of her mouth. "I've had a real man Ed and he's more of a man than you'll ever be!" She yelled and kicked her legs as his fingers grabbed at her pants furiously.

"You shut your mouth unless I tell ya you can speak, you hear me?"

Her hand moved across the floor, her fingers searching. She grazed the tip of the bat and tried to slide herself across the floor just an inch so that she could grab it. He had her zipper down and he was working on her panties when her fingers closed around it. Praying she could find her inner athlete she swung the bat as hard as she could, her efforts rewarded with a thumping sound followed by Ed's strangled cry of pain. Not waiting around, she scrambled to her feet, almost tripping over her pants as she ran to the door. She didn't stop to pull them up, she just stepped out of them and kept going until she reached the exit. She burst outside and ran into the parking lot, unsure of which way to go. Headlights spilled over the lot and she squinted from their brightness as the rain soaked her to her skin. There was a screech of tires and then she heard the sounds of doors opening. She stood there, gripping her bat like a lifeline until she felt strong comforting fingers over hers. She jerked.

"Hey, it's just me. Let me hold the bat, baby." Daryl's voice washed over her and she let out a shuddering breath, releasing the bat to him. He pulled her into his arms and she began to sob. "Jesus Carol, you're fuckin' half naked," he growled. He turned and spoke softly to someone behind him. "Can you take her to the truck and call the cops?"

She felt herself being transferred to soft female hands. "Come on Carol, let's go get warm," Beth's voice coaxed.

She barely noticed Merle's presence, but she heard him and Daryl talking before she was led away.

"Hey darlin'," Merle called, "Give us ten minutes before ya call them cops."

"Okay," Beth replied. "Be careful."

Carol heard the sound of knuckles cracking and Merle snickered. "Ain't no need to worry 'bout us darlin'. Let's go have some fun brother."

"Time to take out the fuckin' trash." Daryl growled in reply.

...

 


	37. Chapter 37

**...**

Daryl couldn't get the image of Carol out of his mind. As they had pulled up and he spotted her standing there outside of the apartment with nothing but her shirt and underwear on, he felt a rage building inside of him. His worst fears had come true and he had run over to her, panic and rage threatening to overwhelm him. She was soaked to the bone and gripping that damn baseball bat like it was a lifeline. His gut had twisted at the sight until she had started to cry.

He and his brother had exchanged a glance over the top of Carol's head. They didn't have to say anything to each other. The rage reflected in both of their eyes was evident to anyone who cared to look. It went unspoken between the two of them that they would finish what she had started. He hadn't wanted to let her go, but he had passed her over to Beth and he knew that she would be in good hands. Besides, his rage for Ed at the moment far surpassed anything else.

It was decided that he would leave the bow behind. The arrows would be a dead giveaway when the cops came to the scene and neither one of the brothers could afford to be locked up. They entered the apartment with nothing more than their fists and their rage. Daryl was the first to step inside and then Merle, quietly closing the door behind them. The lights were still out, but it didn't matter. Ed was making enough noise that they knew exactly where to find him.

"Ya ready for this?" Merle asked him.

"Been ready," Daryl replied coldly. "Fat fuck is overdue for a beating."

...

Carol shivered inside of the truck. Beth had the heat going, but it didn't touch the cold that was inside of her. She couldn't seem to get herself together enough to stop the shakes from wracking her body. Beth had rummaged behind the seat and pulled out a leather jacket that had angel wings sewn onto the back.

She wrapped it around Carol, "Here, maybe this will help."

Carol gave her a small smile. She glanced toward the door of her apartment. She couldn't believe this had happened. To think that Ed had been hiding in the apartment probably the whole time. She felt disgusted. _He_ disgusted her. She couldn't believe she had ever married him and she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep in the apartment anymore without having nightmares.

"Oh, no! Maggie! We have to call Maggie!" Carol told Beth.

"It's okay. I've already called her. They're on their way back now," Beth replied.

Carol nodded. "Okay. Good. Thank you Beth."

Beth smiled and reached over to grasp her hand, squeezing reassuringly. "It's going to be okay."

Carol nodded again. It would have to be. It was all over, right? Ed would be arrested now and she could rest easy knowing that he wasn't going to hurt her ever again.

...

The two brothers paused in the doorway of the bedroom, listening in disgust as Ed whimpered from Carol's hit with the baseball bat. Merle crossed to the other side of the room, his steps silent and sure. Daryl knelt down next to Ed.

"Guess who Ed?" He whispered coldly.

Ed stopped squirming, the only sounds being his slightly heavy breathing. "That you, Dixon?" Daryl heard him shuffling around. "Come on over so I can say hello properly."

"Hiya sugar tits." Merle's voice rang out from somewhere on the other side of Ed.

Daryl heard Ed roll around on the floor and then get to his feet.

"You're both crazy! The cops'll be here any minute! You can't touch me!" 

Merle's hand shot out and slapped Ed on the back of his head. "Think again, asshole."

"Cops ain't been called yet Ed. This is all us," Daryl taunted.

He heard Ed's cry of rage and then he barreled into him, almost knocking him off balance if he hadn't braced himself for it. Daryl balled up his fist and punched Ed in the gut several times, eliciting a loud groan.

"You like to beat on women, Ed?" Daryl snarled next to his ear.

The lights flickered and then came back on, revealing a bloody-faced Ed who was holding his nose and muttering under his breath. Merle made his way around the room and stood with his arms crossed by the bedroom door.

Ed's eyes danced back and forth between the two men warily. "You'll pay for this you son of-"

Daryl swung again, his fist connecting with Ed's jaw. Ed cried out and his fist swung wild, barely grazing Daryl's cheek. Daryl smiled and wiped his cheek absentmindedly. He exchanged a look with Merle who met his eyes and nodded. Daryl pushed Ed hard into Merle and Merle's fist hit him in his gut. Ed groaned and bent over, but Merle pushed him again back to Daryl who kicked him square in the nuts. Ed fell to his knees, whimpering as he tried to shield himself from more blows. Daryl straddled him and grabbed his chin, tilting his face so that he could look him in the eye.

"I'm only gonna say this once Ed, so listen good. Carol's _mine_. She's not yours, never was." Ed groaned and tried to roll away weakly, but Daryl held tight, bending down to whisper next to his ear. "And if you even get a fucking _in_ _kling_ to even _think a_ bout her ever again I just want you to think about how bad we're going to  _fuck_ you up next time. You got me?" Ed stared at him for several minutes and then nodded weakly.

"Have the bitch. She ain't worth it," he spit out around a mouthful of blood.

Daryl stood up, letting Ed's head drop back to the floor. He looked at Merle, "I'm gonna check for the cops and see about Carol. You got this?"

Merle smiled. "Oh I got this brother. I'm just gonna say goodbye to our lil' pal Ed here," Merle replied.

Daryl nodded and then turned on his heel to walk out. As he walked through the living room to go outside he heard a crack and then Ed's muffled yell. Daryl smirked and made his way over to the truck where he could see Carol and Beth still sitting inside. He opened the passenger door and when her eyes met his, she gasped.

"Daryl! Your face is bleeding!".

He shrugged. "Ain't all my blood."

She paused to process that information."Is he-"

"No. We just roughed him up some more. He'll live for now even though it's more than he deserves," Daryl replied roughly.

"Merle is with him?" Beth asked from over Carol's shoulder.

Daryl nodded. He wrapped his arms around Carol's trembling body. "You're shaking. Are you hurt?"

She shook her head and pressed herself closer to his body. "No. Just a little shook up I think."

Daryl heard the sounds of the sirens and seconds later an ambulance and two cop cars pulled into the lot. He could see several other residents peeking from their windows or stepping outside to see what was going on and he instinctively moved to shield Carol's body with his own. He saw Sheriff Grimes and another officer he didn't know walk up to the truck. He nodded at Daryl and Daryl returned the nod, but didn't move himself away from Carol.

"I know you need to ask her some questions, but she isn't decent. Can I at least get her some pants before you start?" Daryl asked. Rick nodded and Daryl closed Carol back inside of the truck.

"Ed?" The sheriff asked.

Daryl tipped his head at the apartment. "Merle's keeping an eye on him. I'll show you where." He started towards the apartment with Rick shouting out a few orders at the deputy and then jogging back beside Daryl.

Daryl led him through the living room and into the bedroom where Merle was leaning against the wall staring down at Ed who moaned on the floor. The sheriff eyed Ed for several minutes and then looked at Merle and Daryl.

"What happened here?" 

"Ed broke in and came after her. Started pushing her around and tried to rape her is my best guess. That's why she doesn't have any pants on. Carol slugged him with a baseball bat," Daryl said proudly.

Rick glanced back and forth between the two men and then gestured down at Ed. "You mean to tell me that _Carol_ did all this with a _bat?_ " He asked in disbelief.

"Yep. She's a tough broad," Merle lied.

Rick glanced behind him for a moment and then lowered his voice. "Look. I know what really happened here." Merle started to protest, but Rick held up his hand. " _And_ , I can't say as I blame you. Between you and me, this was a long time coming and that's _all_ I'm going to say about it. Got it?" Rick gave them a pointed look.

They nodded and Rick motioned them out of the door. "Go. I don't need you two standing around all bloody when the others arrive."

...

Carol watched as Sheriff Grimes followed Daryl inside. She hoped the guys wouldn't get into trouble for doing what they did. She looked up as another car pulled into the lot and Maggie and Glenn got out. Maggie looked around with wide eyes until Beth waved her over. Seeing Carol she opened the door and enveloped her into a hug.

"God Carol, I'm so sorry! I should have been there!" Maggie said tearfully.

Carol could feel her own tears welling up. "Don't cry. Please...I'm fine. I'm glad you weren't here."

Maggie sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "Still. I feel terrible. Are you hurt?" 

Carol shook her head, "I don't think so. I'm kind of sore but overall I think I'm fine."

She turned as Daryl appeared next to the window with Merle standing a few feet behind him. He passed her a pair of sweatpants he had swiped from her room. They shut the door so that she could put on her pants and Beth got out of the truck so that she could see to Merle. Carol felt better with pants on even though she still had no shoes and she climbed down out of the truck.

Strong arms embraced her and a familiar gruff voice whispered in her ear. "Ya did real good darlin'. Smacked the hell outta that shit. Made me real proud," Merle said.

Carol smiled at him weakly even as she felt her face redden. She didn't feel like she deserved any kind of praise for hitting Ed. Yes, it had felt great, but at the time she was only doing what she had to do to survive. She just wanted it all to be over with. She felt Daryl's gaze on her and he pulled her off to the side away from the crowd that had formed.

His thumb grazed over her lip and she winced at the small prick of pain. "I was so scared," he admitted.

She nodded. "Me too."

He pulled her close once more, wrapping her in his warm embrace. "You're coming back to our place tonight. Maggie's gonna stay with Glenn until they get someone in to clean the carpet," Daryl explained.

Carol nodded, "Can we just go?" She didn't want to be around a crowd right now.

Daryl looked around until he located the Sheriff. "Hold tight. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Okay." She watched as he crossed over to the Sheriff and they talked for a few minutes, Rick's eyes darting in her direction a few times. Daryl leaned in close and whispered something to the man who nodded and then Daryl came jogging back over to her.

He placed his hand at the small of her back, directing her through the mass of people. "Come on. Taking you home."

He situated her in the truck and then said a few things to Merle and Beth who waved him away. He climbed into the truck and she immediately scooted closer to him as he fired up the engine. He backed the truck up and out of the lot before wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Finally her tremors seemed to subside and she yawned as exhaustion set in. Daryl's fingers brushed comfortingly over her shoulder and she let herself be lulled into sleep, safe in his arms.

...

 


	38. Chapter 38

..........

Carol wasn't sure what woke her but something had. She blinked her eyes several times and could just make out Daryl's form lying next to her. He must have carried her to his room and she had slept through the whole thing. She shifted onto her elbow so that she could peer over him to look at the clock.

"It's three A.M," he said gruffly.

She blinked down at him, trying to make out his eyes in the dark room. Shifting, she placed her arm across his stomach and was slightly disappointed that he had a shirt on. She traced circles over his shirt absently.

"What are you doing up?" She felt him shrug.

"Couldn't sleep."

She sensed that there was more to that statement. "Have you been up all night?"

He sighed. "Yeah. Keep thinking about what happened. Every time I try and close my eyes I think about what might have happened had we not got there when we did."

She pressed her hand to his cheek. "But you _did_ make it...you both came and you saved me."

"You saved yourself. We didn't do much."

"You did more than you'll ever know Daryl Dixon. You and Merle...you're the only family that I've got," she said.

He shifted on the bed and rolled towards her, his hand resting on her hip. "I don't know what I would have done had something happened to you," he said.

"Shh..." She pressed her lips to his softly, teasing her tongue into his mouth.

He immediately pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her ass gently. She pulled back to smile at him in the darkness. "Why Mr. Dixon, are you flirting with me?" 

He chuckled, his hands traveling up her back and to her hips where he lifted her as he turned himself so that she was straddling him. She grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it, leaving only her bra. Bending down she kissed him as his hands caressed her back. She could feel his erection pressing against her through her clothing and she ground herself against him softly. He groaned deep in his throat and the sound sent shivers down her spine.

He cursed softly as he fumbled with the clasp of her bra. "Well we know the person that invented this damn thing wasn't a man," he muttered.

She laughed softly and reached behind her to undo the clasp, freeing her breasts to his touch. He leaned forward, taking her nipple into his mouth and suckled softly making her moan. She threaded her hands into his slightly shaggy hair and held him tight to her as his mouth glided over her breasts. She pulled back momentarily and wiggled out of the rest of her clothing until she was naked. He reached over and turned on the light, startling her.

"What are you doing?" 

"I wanna see you."

She smiled and lay back on the bed, enjoying the feeling of being wanted. After so long with Ed, it was nice to be appreciated by a man instead of being told she was too ugly or too fat to be loved.

"Your turn Dixon."

He blushed slightly and then stood up. She watched as he slid down his pants and boxers first, his movements slightly awkward, but adorable nonetheless. He saved the shirt for last and she could see his hesitation in the light. He was still wary about removing that last layer from himself. In a way, it was like removing his protective shield, baring himself for her to see. She could see that having himself on display in the light was making him nervous.

She crawled over to the edge of the bed and stood on her knees in front of him. She placed her hands over his on the hem of his shirt and together they lifted it over his head. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him with all of the passion that she felt. He returned the kiss, his nervousness slowly fading away.

He pushed her back gently onto the bed and then pressed light kisses over her body as he climbed his way back up to her lips. She let out a moan as his finger dipped inside of her, gently stroking back and forth. She opened her legs for him and he bent his head to suck on a nipple. Feeling her pleasure begin to mount, she fisted her hands into the sheets of the bed. He chuckled. His finger found her the magic place within her and with a few strokes, she felt herself jerking beneath him. She cried out loudly as her orgasm rocked through her. When she opened her eyes she found him staring at her, his own eyes dark with arousal. She shivered at the intensity of his gaze.

He started to lift himself over her, but she pushed him back on the bed and straddled him instead. His eyes were wide as he stared at her but he said nothing as she took control. She grabbed his erection in her hand and guided herself down onto him slowly. He hissed in a breath and his hands came up to settle on her hips. She tipped her head back at the depth and control the position gave her. She had never been on top before, having always been too self conscious to do it. But Daryl made her feel as though she were the most beautiful woman in the world and she loved him for that.

Daryl lifted his hips up to hers and she smiled down at him as they found their rhythm. She leaned forward and suckled his neck making him growl in his throat. She arched her back and he placed his hands over her breasts, stroking her nipples to hardened peaks. She could feel her body teetering on the edge and she closed her eyes, clenching herself around him. He groaned, his body stiffening in surprise. She rocked against him two more times before riding out her own orgasm, seconds behind his. She collapsed on top of him afterwards, breathing heavily. His body was tense and when she looked at him she could see him frowning.

"What's wrong?"

"I wasn't supposed to go before you," he muttered, his jaw set.

She giggled at his sullen expression. "Daryl, it's fine! It happens. I still had an orgasm so it's not a big deal."

"When you did that shit, squeezing around me like that, it set me off. Where the hell did you learn to do that?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure...I just did it. It's kinda like when you have to pee, but you have nowhere to go so you clench your thighs together to hold it in," she explained. She really didn't know what made her do it. It was the heat of the moment and her body had just reacted.

"Well I like it."

She smiled, "I could tell." She snuggled into him and he pulled the sheet up to cover them. He was silent for several minutes and she could almost _hear_ his mind working. He was thinking hard about something so she kept quiet and waited him out, figuring he would tell her what it was when he was ready. It didn't take long.

"I want you to move back in."

She sucked in a breath. That was exactly what she wanted, but she had wanted him to be the one to ask her back and the fact that he did made her heart skip a beat. She wanted nothing more than to move back in with them because she felt happy and safe here. She had meant what she said about them being her family. The brothers had grown on her quickly, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

"Okay."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "That's it?"

"Did you expect me to argue?"

He made a face. "I just didn't think it'd be that easy."

She laughed, "Not everything in this world has to be complicated Mr. Dixon. There is no where I would rather be than right here with the two of you. I've got to talk to Philip, but I don't see why it would matter now that Ed is in jail." She groaned and smacked a hand to her face. "Philip! I should have called him! I have to go to the sheriff's office in a few hours, don't I? Don't I have to give a statement or something?" There was so much to do that she was starting to get overwhelmed just thinking about it all. Now that Daryl wasn't distracting her with his mouth and hands she was starting to dwell on the events of last night.

"So we'll call him in a bit. I'm sure he'll be fine."

A thought suddenly occurred to her, "Did Merle ever come home?"

Daryl nodded, "Him and Beth came through a few hours ago."

"He brought Beth back with him?" Her eyes grew wide.

Daryl sighed and nodded, "Yep. Heard them trying to be quiet and not doing too good of a job of it. I reckon we're gonna have her daddy over here soon, shooting the place up."

Carol snickered. "Poor Merle. He's going to have to face down Hershel Greene eventually. How I would love to be party to that conversation."

"Might not have to wait long soon as he figures out his baby girl stayed over last night."

...

 


	39. Chapter 39

**...**

After Daryl had taken a shaky Carol back to their place in the truck, Merle and Beth ended up getting dropped off by Maggie and Glenn. Maggie didn't want to stay in the apartment after what had happened so Glenn took her back to his place instead. Merle informed Maggie that he would drop Beth off at home so she didn't object to leaving Beth behind with him. He had fully intended to take her home too, but apparently she had other plans. As the headlights from Maggie's car washed over them as they backed away, he turned to her.

"Ya ready?" 

She bit her lip and then turned to him, shuffling her feet a little. "It's kind of late. Maybe I should just stay here for a bit?" 

He sucked in a breath at the thought of her sleeping next to him. He hadn't expected her to suggest it and it had taken him completely off guard.

"I just told ya sister I'd take ya home."

"I know, but I really don't want to wake Daddy this late. It's only a few hours 'til morning anyway. You can just take me then, right?"

"I guess that'd be alright," he replied. It _was_ late and he _was_ tired. Besides, if _he_ was going to take her back then he needed some sleep before facing her daddy who was sure to take one look at him and load his ass with buckshot.

She followed behind him as they entered the house. He saw that the door to his brother's room was closed and he suspected that the two of them were in the bed. He hoped Carol was able to sleep tonight. He had been so proud of her for swinging that bat into Ed's face. He could have killed the fucker but he didn't relish the idea of going back to jail. Ed wasn't worth all that. Besides, odds were good he would become someone's bitch while serving his sentence and that would be a fate far worse than death Merle imagined. He snickered to himself.

Beth looked at him curiously. "What's so funny?"

"Nothin'."

He stopped at his bedroom door, suddenly hesitant. He hadn't paid much attention to the condition that his room was in lately. Occasionally Carol had cleaned it when she had stayed there but she hadn't been there in some time and he hadn't paid any attention to its condition. He wasn't really the neatest person. He held his breath and pushed the door open. His eyes did a quick sweep and found nothing to be too disgusting. He had clothes piled into a corner where he tossed them at night and his bed wasn't made. The trash can could use emptying but other than that, he figured it looked okay. He shut the door behind her as she entered and they stood there silently for several minutes. He mentally cursed himself for acting so awkward. He had never been nervous in the bedroom with another woman. The bedroom was technically _his_ domain, the one place he excelled every time.

He scratched at his neck. "Well ya know where the bathroom is if ya need it."

"I'm okay. I'm just going to sleep in my shirt if it's okay with you?" 

He swallowed hard, "Yeah, it's fine."

He watched, dry-mouthed as she shimmied out of her jeans and was left standing there in her shirt and panties. He had to force himself to tear his eyes away from her. He was feeling a little raw since their talk earlier. He had told her things that he had never told anyone like how he and Daryl used to hunt all the time, about his drug usage, and pieces of his childhood. She had listened, never once interrupting him or judging him. He had been surprised by how _good_ if had felt to get it off of his chest. He hadn't told her _everything..._ there were some things that she just didn't need to know. It had been the first time Merle had ever turned down sex and then he had spilled his guts on top of that. This girl was changing him into someone he wasn't quite familiar with and he found himself loving every minute of it.

She let down her hair and slid underneath his covers, her blonde locks spread out over the pillows in a fan. She looked so alluring and _sexy_  that he just stood there, committing the image to memory. It was only when she spoke that he realized he was staring like an idiot.

"You okay?" 

He shifted and nodded, "Yep."

He took off his boots and kicked them under the bed before moving to the zipper on his jeans. He paused, "Ya mind if I sleep in my boxers? I usually sleep naked, but..."

She blushed. "Sure...however you want to sleep is fine."

 _Yeah, right_ , Merle thought. Sleeping naked with her would definitely be a mistake. He was taking a big enough risk by sleeping in his boxers. He stripped out of his clothes and tossed them onto the growing pile in the corner. He sat on the edge of the bed and heard her small gasp.

He turned, "What's the matter?" 

She got up on her knees, crawling over to him. "Your back. Merle, what happened?"

He had almost forgotten about that. He hadn't had anyone mention it in so long that it just escaped his memory. All of the women he ever brought into his room were always drunk or high and never seemed to notice or care. He sat there for a moment as the memories of how his scars had come to be flooded back to him. He knew his brother carried worse scars than him, but his brother was more careful to hide his. Merle didn't really care one way or the other. The way he figured, you either liked them or you didn't. They weren't going anywhere and he sure as hell wasn't going to go through the trouble of hiding them.

He felt her finger trace over the longest one, from one of his old man's many attacks. It was also his oldest scar. He sighed, "Most of them scars are from when I was a kid darlin'. Me an' Daryl's ole' man used to drink real bad. He also had a tendency to beat on us when he did, which was 'bout all the damn time." He huffed. "We used to joke that the man would bleed alcohol if he ever got cut."

He felt her press her lips to the scar and several others before wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," she whispered.

He frowned. "Don't be sorry for me darlin'. Ain't nothin' but a distant memory to me. It was Daryl who got the worst of his fits." He leaned back against the wall, pulling the sheet over his waist.

"Poor Daryl."

Merle grunted, but didn't reply. He had skimmed over his childhood briefly in their talk earlier, but he hadn't went into the details. The details he tried to forget. Sometimes he woke up in a sweat, thinking that Daryl was in trouble, but then he would remember he was sleeping in the next room and he would fall back asleep. That was part of the reason he drank. It was easier to push those memories away with alcohol. It made him blissfully numb and unaware. The sweats hadn't returned so far since he had quit but he wasn't considering himself in the clear yet. It was only a matter of time before one would grab hold of him again he knew.

Beth burrowed under his arm and placed her head on his lap with a sigh. He grazed his fingertips across her shoulder lightly, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. He tried not to think about the fact that she only had on pink lacy panties and that the sheet had slid down enough so that he could see them peeking out at him. They lay that way for a while with him lost in thought until her breathing seemed to deepen and he knew that she had fallen asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he crossed his arms behind his head and sorted through his demons, sleep seeming light years away all of a sudden.

...

Carol slipped out from under Daryl's arm a few hours later and padded to the bathroom sleepily. She was sitting on the toilet half asleep, when the door opened. Merle entered the bathroom and Carol gasped, trying to quickly stretch her shirt over her knees.

"Oh shit," Merle muttered and turned quickly around to exit.

Well she was definitely awake now. She washed her hands and exited the bathroom to find Merle leaning against the wall just outside. She yawned in his direction. "Next time you should really think about knocking," she mumbled.

Merle snorted, but remained silent as he entered the bathroom. She shook her head and crossed into the kitchen to start the coffee. Opening the fridge reminded her that she hadn't been around as she glanced at the meager contents. At least they had eggs and after checking the date she proceeded to scramble several eggs for anyone that was hungry. Merle exited the bathroom just as she set out the frying pan. He crossed over to the coffee and poured himself a cup, staring at her over the rim.

She glanced at him once and then sighed. "Alright. What gives?" 

He set his mug down on the counter. "Can't decide if I wanna hug your scrawny ass for sluggin' the hell outta Ed or for makin' coffee an' cookin' breakfast," he remarked with a wink.

She tried to hold back her smile, but she couldn't and it burst forth. Leaning up she planted a kiss straight on his lips, shocking _him_ for once.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were cheating on me with my brother, but seeing as how he had himself a guest last night, I know that isn't true," Daryl commented as he shuffled into the kitchen, headed for the same place that Merle had gone - coffee.

Merle gave him the middle finger as he drank down more of his coffee and moved to sit on one of the rickety stools that surrounded the counter. "Ain't nothin' happened," he muttered. Carol and Daryl both raised a brow at this admission. "The fuck?" Merle said in response. "Can't two people go to bed together an' actually sleep?" 

Carol glanced at Daryl. "Sure they can, but we didn't think _you_ knew that."

Daryl snickered. "You mean to say that the two of you just _slept_ together?" 

Merle nodded and sighed, "Ain't pushin' this one brother. Waitin' til she makes the first move. She'll let me know when she's ready."

Carol switched off the stove and scraped the eggs onto a large plate. She set it on the counter and turned to both of the men who had come to mean so much to her. Neither of them were speaking at the moment because they were both sucking down their coffee like there was no tomorrow.

She smiled at the sight. "I missed you guys so much."

Two sets of eyes simultaneously lifted to stare at her. It was in that moment that they _really_ looked like brothers. As usual, Merle was the first to speak, "We missed ya too. Especially your damn cookin'. Now pass me them eggs woman," Merle grunted.

Carol laughed and passed the plate of eggs and an empty plate over to him. Daryl slid closer to her and grabbed her hand. "We need to go down and talk to your lawyer, see what's gonna happen with Ed now."

Carol nodded, touched by his show of affection in front of his brother, "I know. I've also got to go down to the police station and give them my statement."

All eyes turned to Beth as Merle's bedroom door opened and she walked out, her hair slightly disheveled. Carol watched as Merle smiled at her, but she didn't return the smile. She looked worried as she mumbled good morning to everyone and then walked over to Merle who tried to offer her a seat.

Beth shook her head with a frown, "Maggie just called. She said that we all should get up to the station as soon as possible. There have been some new developments in the case. Apparently there's someone else involved, but that's all she could tell me over the phone."

Carol gasped and her grip on Daryl's hand tightened. _Who else could there be? Who was working with Ed?_

**...**


	40. Chapter 40

**...**

Carol held tight to Daryl's hand as they drove to the station in the truck. Merle was following behind them on the bike with Beth hanging onto him. Carol was a bundle of nerves. They had arrested Ed for breaking in and trying to hurt her and she had thought that that would be it. Now Beth was telling them that Maggie said that someone else was involved in the case.

_Who could it be?_

She glanced at Daryl's face, but he was sitting silent, his jaw clenched as they rode. She sighed, making him glance over at her briefly and reach for her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze and she offered him a small smile, appreciating his support. The truth of the matter was though, that no amount of support at this point was going to calm her down, at least not until she figured out what exactly was going on.

The ride to the station seemed to take forever even though in reality it was probably only about fifteen minutes or so. As they turned in, her heart seemed to beat faster, her hands growing clammy. Daryl turned to her with a look of concern on his face and tugged on her hand, pulling her across the seat and into his arms. She went gratefully, clinging to the warmth and protection that he offered. She inhaled his scent, trying to burrow herself into him. He ran his hands up and down her back and she involuntarily felt a few tears slide down her face.

He pulled back to look at her, "Hey now,  no need for that. This isn't a big deal. We're just gonna find out who this other person is and then we're gonna put this mess behind us." He used the pads of his thumbs to wipe the moisture from underneath her eyes. Beside them, Merle pulled up on the motorcycle and he and Beth climbed off to wait by the truck. Carol drew in a shuddering breath and nodded, hoping that he was right.

"Alright, let's get this over with," she whispered.

He nodded and they both exited out of the truck from his side. Beth came over to her and gave her a tight hug which she accepted one-handed because Daryl still held tight to her other hand. Together they walked into the station.

Maggie was out of her chair and around the counter in seconds. She had a look of concern on her face and Carol tried to hold it together but she started crying again. She didn't know what was wrong with her all of a sudden. She was never usually this weepy. Maggie wrapped her arms around her and this time Daryl had to let go of her hand at the force of Maggie's hug.

"It's okay, Carol. Don't cry. Rick wants to talk to you and he'll explain what's going on. He told me to take you on back when you got here. Are you gonna be okay?" Maggie asked.

Carol nodded and turned around to find Daryl. She reached for him and he took her hand, coming to stand beside her. "I want Daryl to come with me."

Maggie nodded, her eyes briefly flashing to Daryl. "Of course. Let's go."

They entered through the door next to the counter and Maggie led them down a short hallway to Rick's office. The door was open and Rick was just hanging up the phone as Maggie poked her head around the door. "Carol's here."

He smiled at them and Carol thought that he looked stressed. "Good. Have a seat," He gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk.

Maggie squeezed her hand once before leaving and Carol perched herself on the end of one of the chairs. She felt like she would get up and run off at the first loud noise. She noticed that Daryl was bouncing his leg and biting on his thumb next to her. She figured he was probably just as nervous as she was.

Rick leaned back in his chair with a sigh, "We had some interesting developments this morning as you have heard already. Someone came in here around five this morning and confessed to being an accessory to Ed."

"With all due respect Sheriff, just tell us who it was. No need to beat around the bush," Daryl said from next to her.

"Andrea Harrison."

Carol let that name roll around in her head. She wasn't sure exactly what she had been expecting, but it definitely hadn't been Andrea. Beside her, Daryl jerked in his chair and sat up straight.

" _Andrea_? The one Merle used to fu-...I mean hang around with?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know what their personal relationship was, but yes, I believe we are talking about the same Andrea," Rick sighed. "I'm not authorized to tell you this, but I will tell you some and it goes no further than this office, understood?" Daryl and Carol both nodded. "Apparently Andrea had something going on with Ed. A little... _side business_ we'll call it. She said she was broke and needed the extra cash. She ran into Ed at the bar one night and well, one thing led to another. Ed was using her to do little deeds like break into Daryl and Merle's house and make it seem like someone had been in there. She was also the one who spiked Merle's drink and I'm working on clearing that charge from his record as we speak," Rick stated.

"I'm not sure I understand. She was _screwing_ Ed for money?" Carol was horrified. The thought alone made her want to throw up. She couldn't imagine how desperate Andrea must have been to do that with Ed.

Rick nodded, "That's not the worst part of it." He paused and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "She's pregnant with his child."

Carol gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. Beside her, Daryl shifted in his chair, "That's some crazy shit right there."

All Carol could do was sit silently and try to digest all of this information. Little by little, she was piecing things together. "So why did Andrea spike Merle's drink?" 

Rick shrugged, "She said she was pissed at him. I don't know. She wasn't real clear on her motives there. She just said that she wanted to hurt him and she feels horrible about the whole situation now. Andrea is an addict plain and simple. Ed was feeding her addiction and therefore made it stronger. She got a little out of hand and then she found out she was pregnant. I guess it's weighing on her conscience. We've transported her to a rehab facility where she'll be evaluated and monitored night and day until the trial," Rick said.

"Trial?" Carol asked numbly.

"I'm assuming there will be a trial coming up soon. Philip Blake has contacted me already this morning and we've been discussing a few things here and there. He asked for me to relay the message to you to take the week off. He's got a temp coming in to fill in until you return." Rick steepled his fingers together, resting his elbows on the desk. "I know it's a lot to take in right now, but I really need to ask you those questions regarding the break-in while it's still fresh on your mind. I'm sorry, Carol."

Carol shrugged. It didn't really matter at this point. Her body felt numb, as if she wasn't even really there at the moment. "I'll try to answer them as best I can."

...

Merle sat up front in one of those stiff-backed chairs they had sitting in front of the counter. He hated waiting. He wanted to know what was going on but he knew that he couldn't just go barging in the sheriff's office uninvited. It was tempting, and if it had been anybody other than Carol he might have, but his brother was back there with her and he knew he would just have to wait.

The only thing that made the whole situation bearable for him at all was the fact that Beth was sitting next to him holding his hand. At first when she had grabbed it, he had wanted to pull away. He wasn't a hand holder _at all_ , but Beth was different. She got under his skin in a way that no one ever had before. So there he sat inside of a police station, for once not because he was being arrested, and he was holding a woman's hand. Times had definitely changed.

Maggie was busy answering phones and hadn't had a moment to really talk to them at all but that was just fine with him. In his opinion, Beth's sister talked a lot and he wasn't really up for that right now. He bounced his leg up and down in boredom. It was taking them a while back there. It made him wonder just what was all going on in that office.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked.

"Yep."

Beth raised a brow and stared down at his leg that he was bouncing. "Are you sure? Because you're shaking my chair too with your bouncing."

Merle paused, not realizing he was doing so. "I reckon' I just wanna know what's goin' on. Ain't never been good at waitin'. I need a distraction. Got any ideas?" He smirked.

"Why don't you think about what Daddy's gonna say when he finds out that Beth stayed over last night?" Maggie's voice carried over the counter where she had apparently ended her phone call without either one of them realizing it.

Beth gave her sister a look but Maggie only shrugged. "That's not going to help matters Mags," Beth said.

Merle ran a hand through his short hair and stood up with a sigh. He would rather be tied to a tree and beaten with a stick right now than be where he was, but since that wasn't possible, he excused himself and exited the building. Outside he walked over to his bike and fiddled with the handles, trying to clear his head. A few minutes later, he heard Beth open the door and walk out to stand next to him.

She grabbed one of his hands and held it between her two tiny ones. "You're going to be fine, Merle. Just be yourself. Daddy's a reasonable man."

Merle snorted, "Darlin', reasonable ain't gonna make a bit of difference in this case. As soon as your Daddy sees me set foot on his property, I'm liable to get shot just for bein' me." He looked down into her eyes that stared back at him in concern. He lifted one hand and brushed his fingers over her face. "Don't ya care that I ain't got the best reputation? There ain't a person in this fuckin' shit-hole town that ain't heard of me."

Beth shrugged, her eyes never leaving his, "I'm not those people, Merle. If I cared at all about what other people thought, I would have become a veterinarian or something like my Daddy. Everyone always said that's what I should do because I was so good at helping him with the animals. Don't get me wrong I like animals, but that's not what I want to do with my life," she explained.

"So what ya wanna do with it then?" He asked. He expected to hear something along the lines of lawyer, banker, or nurse. He should have known that she would surprise him again.

"I want to teach." Her eyes lit up excitedly. "Not just any grade either. I want to teach Kindergarten."

Merle smiled slightly, amused at her expression. "Ya wanna be a teacher huh? Now why don't that surprise me? Ya been tryin' to school me since ya met me."

She laughed, "Well you haven't been the _easiest_ student but you'll do."

He growled playfully in his throat and lifted her slightly, wrapping his arms around her. She smiled at him and her eyes closed as she leaned forward and their lips met. It started out as an innocent kiss. After all, they were in a parking lot at the jail. He got a little carried away, however, and somehow or another she ended up draped across the bike as he held her, kissing her for all that he was worth. It was only when Daryl cleared his throat that he managed to tear his lips from hers. She was a little shaky as he helped her to stand.

He looked over at Daryl but he didn't see Carol anywhere, "What's goin' on brother? Where's Carol?"

"She's still inside there talking to Maggie," Daryl replied. He looked over at Beth and she caught the cue to give them a minute. She squeezed Merle's hand before disappearing back inside.

Daryl pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it, looking like he had a shit ton to say, but no idea on how to begin. "Spit it out for cryin' out loud," Merle grumbled.

"It was Andrea, Merle. She's the one who spiked your drink and tried to get you to wreck. She was screwing Ed for money so that she could get high and he was threatening her and shit." Daryl paused to take a drag from his cigarette.

Merle let out a whistle, "No shit? _Andrea?_ That bitch!" 

Daryl shook his head. "That's not the worst of it. She's pregnant with Ed's child."

There were very few moments in Merle Dixon's life where people surprised him. Usually he _expected_ people to do dumb shit so therefore people never ceased to shock him. This was an exception to that rule. He shuddered to think that he had dipped into the same pot that Ed had dipped. The thought alone was enough to make him want to vomit and it was another reason to kill Ed.

"Fuck me, that's some twisted shit right there," Merle commented. "She locked up?"

Daryl nodded, "Yeah, but she's not in jail. They got her placed in a rehab facility where she can be monitored and detoxed...that kind of shit."

Merle shook his head, "What the hell is this world comin' to?"

Daryl crushed out his cigarette, his facial expression almost mirroring Merle's. "The hell if I know."

............


	41. Chapter 41

...

Daryl didn't drive towards home upon leaving the jail. Instead he turned the bike in the opposite direction and took Carol down the winding country roads, just wanting to spend time with her. She didn't seem to mind as she snuggled closer to him on the bike and tightened her arms around his waist. The feeling of her pressed right up against him was making certain parts of his body stand at attention and he twisted the throttle on the bike, urging it to go faster with the pounding of his heart.

He wanted to do something special for Carol, to take her somewhere and just get away from it all for a while. She needed to forget all of this shit that was going on and relax for a bit. They both needed some down time and he wanted to spend it alone with her without anybody distracting them. He eased the bike around the curves of the road, heading toward the quarry. Though he had taken her there once before, they hadn't really had a lot of time to enjoy it then with her ribs still having been trying to heal. He hoped that this time they could take more time and enjoy themselves.

As he navigated the bike down the narrow road he could feel Carol shifting a little behind him and he knew that she was looking around. Finally he pulled the bike up to a stop next to the quarry and used the tip of his boot to lay down the kickstand. He held Carol's hand so that she could climb off first just in case the bike wanted to topple over and then he climbed off after her. She took a deep calming breath and then turned to smile at him.

"The air feels so clean out here. It's just as beautiful as it was last time," she said softly.

Daryl nodded, trying for a moment to see it through her eyes. He had his own interpretation of the quarry and it was interesting to see how others interpreted it. To him it was a fond memory of some of the better times with Merle and even though he thought it had a certain charm, beautiful wasn't the first adjective to come to mind. He watched Carol spin around in a slow circle with her arms spread wide and a smile on her face and found himself grinning as well. He stepped forward and caught her in his arms as she spun. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his as he lifted her lightly and spun her once more. They smiled at each other as they came to a stop and Carol crinkled her nose at him before pressing a kiss to his lips. Daryl sucked in his breath as her lips glided over his softly. He hadn't intended on bringing her down her to have his way with her, but the more she kissed him, the more turned on Daryl got. He deepened the kiss, pulling her close to his body, both of them clinging to each other tightly.

Carol pulled away first. "Why don't we take a dip in the water?" 

Daryl raised a brow at her, "We don't have any suits."

She grinned mischievously as she lifted the hem of her shirt over her head and began backing away, dropping it by her feet, "I know."

Daryl stared at her a moment, his eyes drinking in her perfect body as she disrobed before him. The sight kept him frozen in place, his eyes not wanting to leave hers for fear that he would miss part of her show. It struck him then, how much he wanted her, how much he _needed_ her. She backed slowly down the hill, still dropping clothing as she went. Daryl's feet finally moved, not willing her to be out of his sight and he found himself functioning on autopilot as he began to remove his own clothing. Turning away from him, she removed her final article of clothing: her panties. His throat went dry as she turned and smiled at him over her shoulder before laughing and diving into the clear water, giving him a nice flash of bare ass as she went. Daryl hurriedly shed himself of his last pieces of clothing and followed suit.

When he came to surface and wiped the water from his face, he frowned when he couldn't find her. Then she laughed from behind him and he turned and grabbed her foot as she tried to swim away. He chuckled as he pulled her firmly back towards him and their breathing began to slow as their naked bodies pressed against each other. The water lapped at the tops of her breasts and Daryl knew that he was a goner. Framing her face with his hands he kissed her, long and sweet. She responded to him eagerly as she slid her wet hands over his bare chest. He dipped his head into the curve of her neck and inhaled the scent that he could only describe as simply Carol. Her hands slid down slowly into the water and she wrapped her slim fingers around his hard length.

Daryl inhaled sharply and his eyes fluttered closed. He reached his hands around her tiny waist and cupped her ass, lifting her to him slightly. Instead of putting her back down onto her feet though, she wrapped her legs around his waist and slid down onto his hard length. Daryl nearly bit his tongue in half at the feeling of being inside of her again. It shocked him to think that he felt like he would never tire of her no matter how many times they were together. His mood was tender and he took his time easing in and out of her slowly. She dipped her head back, her hair skimming the water's surface and his breath caught at how erotic she looked. He leaned over and pressed his lips to the slim column of her neck, trailing his tongue over her soft, pale, skin. She moaned and lifted her head to his, locking eyes with him as they rocked back and forth in the gentle sway of the water. Carol held tightly to his neck and pulled herself closer to him, her breasts sliding softly across his chest. He groaned low in his throat.

"Carol," he breathed.

She made a noise that sounded kind of like a purr as she held tightly to him. He briefly felt her mouth biting his shoulder softly before she rocked her hips against him once more, throwing her head back with a soft cry. He watched, mesmerized as she lost herself in her orgasm, completely losing himself in the moment. There was only her and him and nothing else mattered but that. He felt himself stiffen as her eyes fluttered open and he grunted his own release, struggling for a moment to keep them in an upright position in the water as he spilled himself inside of her. Carol leaned and kissed him softly, running her fingers through his shaggy hair affectionately.

Daryl's heart was beating faster than he thought it ever had and it wasn't because of the sex. It was because he had realized in that moment that Carol had given herself over to him, her face twisted into one of pleasure that he had fallen in love with her. The moment had hit him like a brick and he had realized then that he wouldn't ever want to be without her. He wanted her always and forever, he just didn't know how to tell her yet.

...

Merle turned down the dirt driveway, passing the familiar mailbox with Beth's arms wrapped tightly around his waist. He had always considered himself a strong man, a force to be reckoned with, but here he was sweating through the fabric of his t-shirt at the thought of facing Beth's daddy. Merle was feeling kind of out of sorts ever since their talk down by the pond that day and he was flat out nervous. He knew that Beth looked to her daddy for a lot of things in her life, but he had come to the realization that he wanted her to start looking to _him_ for guidance. He wanted to be her rock and shockingly enough he never even thought about sex. It just wasn't like that when he looked at her.

Merle had been with many women in his life and it wasn't something he would necessarily say he was proud of. His old self might have bragged about his conquests and thrown them around lightly as a sort of joke. He liked to think that he was better than that now though. He had given up his drug habit and mostly kicked the drinking, though he did have a beer every now and again. He wanted something different with Beth. He wanted to be with her, to kiss her, and to just hold her. There was a part of him that was scared that if he had sex with her then that would change everything. Merle didn't want that. He wanted to be a better man for her he realized. He wanted every part of her and as he coasted to a stop in front of the big farmhouse, he was determined not to leave without her daddy's blessing.

So when Hershel Greene stepped outside onto his porch and crossed his arms to look down at Merle and his daughter, Merle felt himself shrinking to half his size under the man's stare. Merle cleared his throat and helped Beth off of the motorcycle, holding tight to her hand like it was an anchor. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand reassuringly as he followed her up the steps.

"Hi Daddy," Beth said softly.

Hershel's eyes shifted from his daughter's face to Merle's in silence and then he sighed. "Bethie," he said. "I thought you were coming home last night. A phone call to let me know otherwise would have been nice," Hershel said as his eyes shifted to Merle.

Beth stepped in front of Merle defensively. "It wasn't Merle's fault, Daddy. It was mine. He wanted to bring me home, but it was so late that I didn't want to wake anyone."

"Sweetheart, how many times have I told you that it doesn't matter what time it is? I'll never be angry with you for calling home to let me know that you're alright. A father worries," he said.

Beth nodded and unraveled her fingers from Merle's to step forward and wrap her slender arms around her Daddy's neck. She kissed his cheek affectionately. "I'm sorry Daddy," she whispered. Hershel nodded and Beth reached out for Merle's hand again which he gladly accepted although his own were sweaty. "Daddy, I have something to tell you."

"Save yourself the trouble, Sweetheart. I know about you and Merle," Hershel responded.

Merle stood silently, still having not said a damn thing since they had driven up. He swallowed and squeezed Beth's hand, getting her attention. "Why don't ya go inside for a few minutes, darlin'? Let me an' your Daddy talk a minute," he said gently.

Beth stared up at him, clearly worried about leaving him alone, but then she finally nodded. She paused at her Daddy's side and pressed another kiss to his cheek, putting her mouth near his ear to whisper, "Please be gentle, Daddy. I really like him a lot."

Hershel patted her arms affectionately and Beth disappeared inside, leaving the two of them alone. Hershel was the first to sit in one of the old white rockers they had scattered around on the porch. Merle kept standing in the same place that Beth had left him, unsure of how to go about the whole conversation.

"Why don't you have a seat son? It's a nice afternoon and that might make this whole thing a lot easier if we were comfortable," Hershel suggested with a gesture to the rocker next to him.

Merle nodded and took a seat in the chair, rocking it back and forth slowly with the toe of his boot, mirroring Hershel's movements without even realizing it. Finally Merle sighed, "I gotta say... thought ya was gonna have your shotgun out here waitin' on me when we pulled up."

Hershel paused and then chuckled lightly, "It's sitting right there beside the front door. You just can't see it." His eyes twinkled slightly as he looked over at Merle.

Merle saw the twinkle and then relaxed slightly, letting a small smile break across his face, "Wouldn't blame ya none if ya did wanna shoot me. I know I ain't the best there is for your daughter. I ain't never gonna be no rocket scientist or president of some company makin' fifty thousand a year. That ain't who I am and it ain't who I wanna be either. I ain't got a lot to offer her an' my background is questionable at best. Done lots of things I ain't proud of an' I'm probably still gonna fu-" He paused and cleared his throat, " _screw_ it up every now an' again," Merle corrected. He paused, but Hershel only kept rocking in his chair, staring out across the fields. Merle swallowed and continued on. He figured since he was this deep into it, he may as well finish it. There wasn't any use in lying about it. If Hershel didn't know what kind of person he was by some miracle, then it wouldn't take much digging for him to find out the truth about Merle's past. He didn't want that kind of thing hanging over his head. "That girl in there is the sweetest lil' thing I ever laid my eyes on an' I seen lots of women as I'm sure you've heard by now. Ain't a one of 'em can hold a candle to that one in there. She's shown me that there's more to life than drugs an' usin' people. Been sober for a while now an' I'm right proud of it," Merle finished.

It was, probably, a defining moment of sorts for Merle. It was the most emotion he had ever put into anything in his life and it was the first time that he could remember that he cared about the outcome of a situation. Hershel sat and rocked his face thoughtful, but his features giving away nothing that he was thinking. Merle held himself tense in his chair, waiting the man out. The ball was in his court now, and Merle wasn't backing down from this conversation until he got some sort of answer. He just hoped it was the one he was looking for.

Finally Hershel turned to him, regarding him intently. "You're a lot older than her," he commented.

Merle nodded, knowing that this issue was coming. It was one he, himself, had thought about many times over. "I am," he stated. "I know I look it too an' I don't know what she sees in me to be honest, but she believes in me an' that's somethin' I ain't never had. If she'll have me, I'd like to make it somethin' more permanent later on." He rushed forward without pausing for breath. "I guess what I'm tryin' to say is that no matter how old she is or I am for that matter, I'll always take care of her an' I'll never lay a hand on her, _ever_. It's not every day a man such as myself finds somethin' so sweet an' so willin' to give him a chance. She looks at me an' she sees somethin' better in me, somethin' I ain't never saw. Makes me feel as though I could live forever an' it still wouldn't be enough time with her."

Hershel breathed in deeply, finally shifting his eyes away from Merle. His fingers rubbed his beard thoughtfully, "She loves you."

Merle scratched his head, "Come again?"

Hershel chuckled at his befuddled expression, "I said she loves you, son. You got cotton in your ears?" 

Merle shook his head in disbelief. "I know she cares 'bout me, but I don't think..." He trailed off, his expression one of utter confusion. He remembered clearly the time in her car when she had confessed to falling for him, but that wasn't the same as loving him. _Was it?_

Hershel stared at him in amusement. "I believe I know my own daughter and I'll say she loves you even if she doesn't know it yet. She's never been scared to bring anyone here to meet me before and I can see the love shining in her eyes when she looks at you. You don't spend as much time on this earth as I have and not know things." Hershel slid forward onto the edge of his chair. "I'm only going to say this once son, so listen good. That little girl in there means the world to me. God seen fit to bless me with two beautiful daughters and I always knew the day would come when I wouldn't be the only man in their life. I believe we're all put on this earth to fulfill a specific purpose and I've never been one to stand in the way of God's plan or my daughter's hearts. I'll tell you the same thing I told that Glenn fellow that Maggie is seeing. You have my blessing and it's not something I give lightly so take that as you will. I only ask that you treat my Bethie with the love and respect that she deserves. Cherish her and protect her from harm is all that I ask. You'll understand this all more if you ever have one of your own one day. She's a woman now and I think she's old enough to make her own decisions in life. She seems to have chosen you and I won't stand in the way of that."

Merle was shocked, his ass momentarily frozen to his seat as he digested what he had just heard. The screen door opened and seconds later he watched as Beth threw herself into her Daddy's lap and hugged him fiercely. Beth finally turned to Merle and tugged him up from his seat, squeezing him as tight as her arms would allow. Merle still hadn't spoken and he wasn't all that sure that he still had the ability to do so. Beth began tugging him towards the steps and Hershel stood, catching their attention.

"Oh, and Merle?" 

Merle looked at the man, "Sir?" 

"I may be old and I'm not as fast as I used to be, but my eyes are still sharp," he began, "My gun still shoots true as well and don't underestimate my ability to hit my target." The older man winked at Merle and began to head back inside of the house. "Just telling you the same things I told that Asian fellow, Merle. We don't discriminate around here." He chuckled as the screen door slapped shut behind him.

Merle shook his head and stared down at the blonde head beside him. "Ya heard all that, huh?" 

She looked up at him and smiled, nearly taking his damn breath away. "I love you too, Merle."

...............


	42. Chapter 42

...

It had been exactly one month since the drama of Ed's appearance at Maggie's apartment and then Andrea's shocking confession to Sheriff Grimes at the police station. Carol took a deep freeing breath as she walked out of the courthouse with Daryl and Merle by her side. She felt better than she had ever felt in her life. She had done it; she was finally a free woman.

They had just left the courtroom and Philip had shocked and awed her with his shark attack on Ed. Everything that had been thrown up by Ed's public defendant had been knocked down and squashed by Philip's brutal argument. Carol had gotten immense satisfaction out of seeing Ed squirm in his chair behind the podium, his face still sporting brown and yellow colors from where Merle and Daryl had laid into him that night. She had heard amid whispers in the courtroom that Ed's nose had been broken and it hadn't been set properly so now he would sport a crooked nose as well, a constant reminder from the Dixons of what would happen if he ever set foot around the ones they cared most about again.

Throughout the whole ordeal, she had drawn strength from Daryl who sat behind her quietly the whole time as he and Merle watched it play out. Upon taking the stand, her eyes had immediately found his and it was only then that she found the strength to tell the courtroom everything that had happened to her because of Ed. His gaze never wavered from hers and as she finished he smiled at her in reassurance, his eyes shining proudly. There had been a tense moment when Ed's attorney had attempted to attack her with his vicious statements, and once Carol had seen Merle place a hand on Daryl's shoulder to hold him in his seat. Then Ed had sneered at the Dixon brothers and it was Daryl's turn to hold back Merle. In the end though, Ed truly had no valid defense and no excuse for all of his actions. His arguments were futile and when it finally came time for the judge to rule, the courtroom was so quiet that you could almost hear the ticking of the clock on the wall as the second hand counted down the minutes to the moment that would change Carol's life.

Philip had patted her shoulder reassuringly and Carol had felt Daryl lean forward to place his hand on her shoulder. She had reached up to grip it with her own, closing her eyes as she waited. Finally the judge had begun to speak and Carol slowly began to relax. His ruling declared Ed be sent away for ten years for breaking and entering with an additional twenty-five for the assault and battery on Carol. Carol felt the tears stream down her face as the judge also declared Carol's divorce from Ed final and she held back a happy sob as the courtroom erupted into cheers and chatter. She was surrounded by Daryl and Merle as they both took turns grasping her body to theirs, congratulating her. Philip spent a few moments going over important documents for her to sign, telling her to take the rest of the day to celebrate and that he would see her in the morning as usual.

So here she stood on the steps to the courthouse, beaming happily and never having felt as freeing as in that moment.

"Ready ta go home?" Daryl asked.

Carol nodded, smiling at him brightly, "Let's go."

...

Carol had never seen so many people gathered at the Dixon house. She figured everyone in town had arrived to offer their congratulations and before long it became something of a party as someone turned the music on and beers were passed around. Carol mingled around the people, getting stopped every few minutes as she tried to work her way through the crowd to get to Daryl who kept glancing in her direction.

"Carol!" Maggie squealed, cutting off her attempt to escape again as she hugged her tightly. "I just heard and I got here as soon as I could! I can't believe it! I'm so happy for you!" She said excitedly.

Carol nodded, smiling again. She felt like her face might eventually stick that way, she had smiled so much. She didn't care though. She was finally happy and nothing was going to destroy her good mood.

"I know," Carol replied. "I still can't believe that it's over."

"What about Andrea? Did you ever hear anything about her?" Maggie asked.

Carol nodded, "Philip says that since she confessed to her crime and because she was under the influence of heavy drugs that she was going to get a lighter sentence. She's pregnant though and she needs treatment for her addiction so she's agreed to go into a guarded treatment facility so they can monitor her and the baby until it's born. I think she might have to spend a little time in prison after that, but I'm not sure," Carol explained.

Maggie nodded softly and then hugged Carol again, "I'm so happy for you! Oh, and I heard about the house! Congratulations!" She exclaimed.

Carol laughed at her excitement, "It's not set in stone yet, but we're hoping that the loan goes through so that Daryl and I can get it. It's got a building in the back already that Daryl said he and Merle can convert into a shop where they can work on cars. There's even a little room above it that Merle's trying to talk us into letting him have," Carol smiled fondly at the elder Dixon as he walked around with his arm around Beth. "We were going to let him have it anyway, but we just enjoy making him sweat," She replied.

Maggie chuckled as her eyes strayed to the couple as well, "I didn't think I would ever see the day that I would like Merle Dixon, but he's growing on me. He's changed," She commented.

Carol nodded, her eyes shining proudly, "That he has," She agreed.

She jumped as a strong arm circled her waist, "There ya are. Been tryin' ta make my way over to ya, but all these damn people 'round her keep stoppin' me," Daryl said. "Hey Maggie."

Maggie smiled at Daryl, "Hey handsome," She teased and Daryl blushed. "I guess that's my cue to leave you two alone then so I'll get one more hug and then I'm gone Daryl. I promise," She wrapped Carol up into another hug and with a wave at Daryl she was gone and the two were finally alone.

Daryl tugged on her hand, pulling her along quickly behind him. "Where are we going?" Carol asked.

He didn't reply as he weaved them through the crowds, not stopping long enough to give anyone the chance to say anything to them. He finally stopped when they crossed over into T-Dog's yard who was somewhere amidst the crowd at the Dixon's and had become a close friend to them over the last few weeks. Daryl paused, seemingly trying to catch his breath and Carol scanned his face with concern.

"Daryl, what's wrong?" She asked. He waved her away as he continued to pant and he bent over, placing his hands on his knees. Carol had never seen him so distraught and she immediately fell to her knees in front of him, peering into his face. "Oh my God, Daryl! Tell me what's wrong!" She cried.

Daryl finally chuckled under his breath and mirrored her action of falling to her knees. She stared at him as if he had grown three heads as he laughed at her until he finally got himself under control, "Dammit woman! I'm tryin' ta propose to ya here! Ya ain't helpin' by badgerin' me with questions!" He cried.

Carol stilled, her eyes shooting up to his, wide and shocked, "What?" She whispered.

He smiled, "That's better. Now I that I gotcha' ta shut up for a minute I can think," He said. He grabbed her hand and reached into his pocket to pull out a small box. Opening it, he gave her another small smile as she gazed in wonder at the band with the beautiful sapphires that decorated it. Daryl cleared his throat, staring at the ground, "I ain't no good at this shit, but when I saw this band I immediately thought of ya an' how blue yer damn eyes are. When they hit the sunlight, they damn near sparkle an' ya take my breath away. I know it ain't been that long since we been together an' I know I ain't tha best there is out there, but I'm hopin' that I'm enough ta make ya wanna marry me," He paused and his eyes fluttered up to meet hers, "If you'll have me that is," He said softly.

Carol's breath caught in her throat and she felt her eyes fill with tears immediately. She waved her free hand in front of her face repeatedly, trying to keep the tears at bay. "Oh my God, Daryl! I had no idea, I mean," She stopped and inhaled a shaky breath. "I just can't believe this. The ring is so beautiful an-"

Daryl sighed and rolled his eyes, but he was smiling at her, "Damn woman, jus' say yes or no. I'm on my knees 'ere," He growled with a smile.

Carol laughed and threw her arms around his neck, knocking them both off balance so that she toppled over on top of him, "Yes, yes, yes!" She whispered as she punctuated each one with a kiss to his lips. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers, carressing her tongue with his until they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind them.

"I'm assumin' she said yes an' that that ain't no pity kiss," Merle said from behind them. "Y'all damn near take forever ta get shit done. It's a wonder ya don't need a damn manual ta tell ya how these things work," He grumbled.

Carol climbed to her feet, tugging Daryl up behind her. She let Daryl slide the ring onto her finger and then she kissed his cheek before walking over to Merle who eyed her warily. "Oh Merle!" She sighed as she wrapped her arms around his middle, squeezing him despite his attempts to back away. She stared up at him happily, "I love you too big guy!" She said.

Merle snorted, but his arms tightened around her in response briefly before slowly setting her away from him. He grabbed her hand and held it up, eyeing the ring speculatively.

"Ya done looked at the damn thing so quit actin' like ya ain't seen it before," Daryl said to Merle as he walked over next to her.

"Easy lil' brotha. Jus' lookin' at it sparkle on that pretty lil' finger o' hers. Told ya it was the right one," He winked down at Carol.

Daryl nodded in agreement as the three of them stared down at the ring. "Brings out tha blue in them beautiful eyes," Daryl agreed. "Knew I had ta have it soon as I saw it. Wouldn't look right on no one else," He tilted her chin up to his, "I love ya Carol."

Carol's heart fluttered inside of her chest, "I love you too Daryl," She whispered.

They stood there, their bodies forming somewhat of a triangle, no more words needing to be said. To someone looking at them from a distance they might have looked as if they were simply praying as they all stared down at the ring. Carol's eyes shone brightly as she looked from Merle to Daryl. She had the two people that meant the most to her in this world standing right there next to her and she couldn't feel more loved if she tried. They were her angels sent down from Heaven to watch over her. Some might argue that they were closer to fallen angels, but Carol knew that though their wings might be slightly dirty, they shone just as brightly as the blue sapphire that sparkled on her finger in the warm sunlight.

...


End file.
